General Notes

Dogs are required to be registered each year.  The registration year runs from 1 July to 30 June of the following year.

Any dog over the age of three months must be registered.

Council rewards responsible dog owners by offering a discounted registration fee if the dog is registered by 31 July each year. The discounted fee for the 2011 / 2012 year is $70.00.  Registration from 1 August 2011 to 30 June 2012 is $100.00.

If you register a puppy the fee is prorated from the date the puppy turns three months old to take into account how much time is left in the registration year.

If your dog was registered with us last year, registration forms will be mailed to you in June. Please advise us if your address changes or you do not receive the form.

If you need to register a dog you have not registered before, please contact the Council on 07 577 7000 to get a dog registration pack posted to you. 

Key points about registration

• All dogs are required to be registered by three months of age.
   
• All new dogs purchased or acquired must be registered immediately.
   
• Dog registration renewal is required before 1 July every year.
   
• It is an offence to keep an unregistered dog.
   
• You are committing an offence if your dog is found wearing a registration label or disc issued to another dog.
   
• A dog not wearing a current registration label or disc is considered by law to be unregistered until proven otherwise.
   
• A completed and signed application form is required with payment.  Please provide your date of birth when registering your dog, as it helps to distinguish you from someone else with the same name.
   
• Every dog being registered for the first time must be implanted with a functioning microchip transponder. 
   
• If your dog dies during the year you may apply in writing for a partial refund of the dog registration.
   
• If your dog is exported or transferred out of New Zealand you may apply in writing for a partial refund of the dog registration.
   
  Please note: evidence that your dog is deceased or has been exported may be required for audit purposes. 

For more information on registration view our brochure "Information for Dog Owners - Policy and Bylaws". (3.13mb pdf)

What do registration fees pay for?

In Tauranga dog registration fees help to pay for most of our animal services activity, including:

• education programmes and material
• dog bite safety programmes
• investigation of complaints and non-compliance
• the dog pound, impounding and caring for offending and stray animals
• prosecutions of people responsible for dogs that attack
• dog register maintained with over 9000 dogs on it
• friendly and professional advice – well educated dog owners are more responsible.