Dog Registration

Your dog registration pays for the Council to monitor and enforce the Dog Control Act 1996 and ensure compliance with local dog control bylaws and policies. Our Animal Control team investigate and respond to all reported dog complaints and incidents.

Dog registration pays for:

• promoting community safety
• encouraging responsible dog ownership
• protecting dog owner's rights to own a dog by dealing with dog related problems
• providing dog owners with education on dealing with dog related problems
• dealing with aggressive and roaming dogs
• dealing with irresponsible owners
• patrolling public areas
• running the preferred owner scheme for responsible dog owners
• responding to dog complaints and animal nuisances
• maintaining national dog database records
• maintaining the dog pound. All impounded dogs are given food, water, shelter and exercise.

Owning a dog is a choice by the dog owner. It comes with requirements for registration by Central Government and Council is tasked with the monitoring and enforcement of the Dog Control Act. A small proportion of rates money goes towards the public benefit of  maintaining the control of dogs in the district, but the dog registration fee is required to help cover the costs of the activity.

Compared to last year the dog fees have gone up with 4% (in line with inflation). As an illustration, in the 2022/23 financial year dog registration of an urban domestic dog (paid before 1 August) was $130.00, in this (2023/24) financial year it is $135.00.

Whether you pay urban or rural  dog rego fees is based on the council zoning locations which are under the District Plan. If you would like to know if you are in an urban or rural area, please refer to the District Plan Maps which can be found here:

District Plan Maps | Tararua District Council (tararuadc.govt.nz)

If your dog dies you may request a refund in writing, for the remainder of the registration year fee pro rata.

You can get the forms from your nearest Council Service Centre or download the form below:

Application form | Refund Application & Deceased Dog Notification  (759.9 KB)

Signed and completed forms can be emailed to: info@tararuadc.govt.nz or brought to your nearest Council Service Centre.

Any dog exceeding 3 months of age must be registered.

Registration form | Register New Dogs (PDF file, 268.9 KB)

Actually, many fees dropped last year, as an effort was made to reward those owners who have dogs that are less risk, never been impounded and qualify for selected owner discounts. New fee categories were introduced to lower fees for desexed urban and rural dogs and for over 65's canine companion.

Council allows current members of Dogs New Zealand (formerly NZ Kennel Club) be included within the Preferred Owner registration categories and a new ‘Dogs NZ’ Rural Domestic Dog category be introduced.

Preferred Owner Status is a special dog owner status that recognises good, responsible dog owners and entitles them to a reduced annual dog registration fee. Your dog must be registered for at least a year before you are eligible to apply for the Preferred Owner Status.

Applications for Preferred Owner Status must be made after the second week of August, and before the last Friday in April, to be eligible for the reduce fee for the following registration year. All approvals are subject to a satisfactory property inspection and administrative checks.

You can get the forms from your nearest Council Service Centre or download the form below:

Application Form | Preferred Dog Owner Status

Preferred owner status may be revoked if paid after 1 August. If revoked, the applicable dog registration fee will apply.

The first 5 working dogs per owner are at full working dog fee ($57.00) subsequent dogs are $5.20.

Farmers with more than 5 working dogs that were eligible for reduced fees last year, please contact us as soon as possible if you have had changes to your dog registration details i.e.; if you have any deceased, transferred, or new dogs.

If you currently have 5 working dogs but expect to add to that number, please notify us as soon as possible with the following forms:

Notification form | Dog Transfer Notification

Registration form | Register New Dogs

Application form | Refund Application & Deceased Dog Notification

Please send the completed forms to: info@tararuadc.govt.nz

Contacting our teams early is important so that we can process your upcoming dog registration fees swiftly.

When you move between districts, you also need to transfer your dog’s registration. There are a few simple steps to follow to do this.

If you move to the Tararua district just bring your current dog registration tag/s to one of the Council service centres. You will then be given a registration form where you fill in your current address and owner details. Following this, a Tararua District Council registration tag will be given in exchange, free of charge.

When a person moves out of the Tararua district the dog owner must advise Tararua District Council of this change (to avoid any issues in the next registration period). After this, the owner should take their dog's current registration tag to the new district’s council office to exchange.