It's an accessory that hangs around your furry friend's neck all year round, but once the colour is no longer valid, it can be difficult to know what to do with the old tag.

This year, Tauranga City Council will have drop-off locations across the city where dog owners can drop off their old yellow tags for recycling.

Brent Lincoln, Team Leader of Animal Services, says this new initiative is a small but great way to get plastic out of the waste and will go towards a service of being repurposed into a new product.

"The dog registration tag is too small to be eligible to be put into our kerbside recycling service, but we are hoping that people will embrace this new initiative and help do their part in sending less plastic to landfill.

"We also know this will open the conversation about having a lifetime tag. While we are not opposed to this, unfortunately, our systems can't currently deal with it. We are looking forward to a new computer program which will give us more flexibility with the registration process," says Brent.

Dog owners wanting to recycle their old yellow tags can head to one of our collection points across the city. We will collect them and send them to a company in Auckland, where they will be repurposed into a new product.

Note: Some locations are drop-off locations only, and we won't be able to register and issue you with a blue tag.

• Envirohub Bay of Plenty, 31B Glasgow Street, Tauranga (drop-off only).
• He Puna Manawa, 21 Devonport Road, Tauranga.
• Papamoa Library, 15 Gravatt Road, Papamoa.
• Greerton Library, 139 Greerton Road, Gate Pa.
• Mount Maunganui Library, 398 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui (drop-off only).
• Mount Hub, 9 Prince Avenue, Mount Maunganui.

"Like everyone else, we have been facing increases in the cost of operating and have had to increase registration fees for the coming registration year, with the early bird fee being $125. Register your dog after 31 July 2024, and you will pay the 'penalty fee' of $187.50. Failing to register your dog will result in a $300 fine," says Brent.

Dog owners can register their dogs online at www.tauranga.govt.nz/dogrego or by visiting one of our customer service desks.

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