It’s that time of year again when your four-legged friend needs to be registered.

The dog registration year runs from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 and all dogs over three months old must be registered. Forms will be sent to owner’s last known address at the beginning of June. Please contact Animal Control if you don't receive yours. All dog registration fees need to be paid by 1 July; after 31 July late penalty fees will apply.

The annual fee for category one (a non-working dog, desexed and microchipped, with no infringement notice for the past two years) is $65 a year. Category two (non-working dogs which do not meet category one criteria including menacing dogs) is $96 and the dangerous dog category is $144. There is also a category for old dogs for those over 12 years of age (as of 1 July 2024) at $48. Working Dogs are $23 for first dog and $12 for each extra if there are more than 10.

Council’s Contract Manager Animal Control Jamie Clark said it was the dog owner's responsibility and a legal requirement to ensure their dog was correctly registered with the local authority. “Your dog must wear a current registration tag to ensure it can be identified. Only one person can be the registered owner of a dog and if you are under 16, the dog must be registered under a parent's or guardian's name at the address where they are kept most of the time,” Mr Clark said.

If you are registering your dog for the first time you will need to complete the registration form either at Animal Control or in person at Council's Customer Service Centres in Blenheim or Picton. Alternatively, people can pay online using online dog services.

Please let Animal Control know if the ownership of your dog changes, your dog leaves the district, you have a change of address, or your dog has died. If you have any questions, please contact Animal Control on Ph: 03 520 9033 or email animalcontrol@xtra.co.nz

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