Dogs

Dogs index

Dog registration

Reducing the cost of registration

There are three easy ways you can reduce your annual dog registration fee and be a responsible dog owner.

Pay on time - pay the registration fee on or before 1 August 2008 and qualify for the early bird rate.
De-sex your dog.
Get a Dog owner licence.

Have your dog de-sexed

You can reduce the cost of registering your dog if you have it de-sexed.

At registration time, send a copy of the veterinary certificate with your registration form to qualify for the relevant reduced fee.

Benefits

The benefits include:

de-sexed dogs are likely to live longer and face less risk of disease (including cancer)
de-sexed female dogs won't have a heat cycle, can't become pregnant, won't attract unwanted male dogs and won't leave stains around the house
de-sexed dogs can be less aggressive and less likely to bite
registration fees are lower for de-sexed dogs
de-sexed dogs are less likely to wander or be aggressive, reducing problems for their owners and communities.

How to get your dog de-sexed

A local veterinarian will perform the operation while your dog is under anaesthetic. (Dogs are de-sexed by having their reproductive organs removed.) Usually, you will be able to take your dog home the same day and then take it back approximately ten days later to have the stitches removed.

The cost of de-sexing varies between veterinarians. In cases of real financial hardship, the SPCA may perform the operation and the Humane Society may also offer financial assistance.

To find a vet, look in the Yellow Pages.

You can

phone the SPCA on (09) 256 7300 or visit their website www.spca.org.nz, or
phone the Humane Society on (09) 630 0510.

Get a Dog Owner Licence

To register a dog at the reduced rate you must present your licence when registering your dog.

Click here to for details about the dog owner licence test and to view information about being a responsible dog owner.

If you are registering more than one dog then you also need to present permits for the number of dogs you keep to register at the reduced rate.

Once you have the licence you do not have to renew it each year. Your current licence will apply even if you get a new dog.

If you have obtained a licence from Waitakere, North Shore, Papakura and Franklin, and have proof of your licence, you can claim the cheaper fee in Auckland City of either a Class A or Class C dog.

Disqualification

Disqualification of a licence may occur after a recommendation for disqualification is made to the Auckland City Council. Recommendations will occur where a dog is a control problem, where a licensed dog owner claims a reduced fee for another person's dog or in any case where it appears that a recommendation is appropriate because of failure to comply with the Dog Control Act 1996, or dog control bylaws.

Reviewed May 2008