The Council is responsible for setting dog control and associated fees and for carrying out dog and stock control functions in the Christchurch district.

Our Animal Management Team administers and enforces the requirements of the Dog Control Act 1996, the Council’s Dog Control Policy and Bylaws 2016 and the Impounding Act 1955 within Christchurch City Council district.

Animal Management fees

Animal Management services have two separate functions:

  • Dog control - is funded from the collection of annual dog registration fees and doesn't require funding from rates. These fees pay for services like the investigation and resolution of nuisance dog complaints, micro-chipping of dogs, education programmes and the operation of the dog shelter, which houses stray dogs.
  • Stock control - is funded from rates and officers investigate complaints regarding stray or wandering stock on the roads, they contain and remove these stock to prevent traffic hazards and for the safety of other road users.

Responsible dog owner status offers a annual reduced dog registration fee where the dog owner has successfully completed an application and been granted this status ensuring the status criteria has been met.  the application form to view this status is Responsible Dog Owner Status.

The Dog Control Act 1996(external link) sets the infringement fees for various breaches of the Act.  Animal Management Officers can issue infringement offence notices for specific breaches under the Act, but depending on the circumstances may decide  to issue a warning notice to an owner instead. These offences include those where problems are caused for people and other animals including protected wildlife.

View the fee schedule for dog registration, impounding, seizure and infringement offence fees.

Dog registration information

You can now register your dog online.

Un-neutered dogs fee is for dogs that have not be spayed or neutered, and are not dogs that may be registered under the specific categories of Responsible Dog Owner Status, Working/Rural dogs, Dangerous dogs, or Disability Assist dogs.

No separate fee is set for the registration of dogs classified as menacing.

Spayed/neutered dogs: Evidence in the form of a veterinary certificate, or a declaration from the owner may be required. This desexing status will be held on record for subsequent registration years.

Owners granted Responsible Dog Owner status are required to register all dogs in their possession or care by 30 June each year in order to obtain the rebate (discount) offered by  the Council on the dog registration fee.
Note: Where the Responsible Dog Owner status is held by an owner, failure to register by 30 June each year may cause the status to be lost.  When the status is lost, an owner may then be ineligible to obtain the status again for two years. Responsible Dog Owner fee concessions do not apply after 30 June each year.

Working dog will generally be a dog kept solely or predominantly for the herding of stock, or a dog kept by a government agency or the Police for carrying out the functions of that organisation. Some other dogs may qualify under certain circumstances. If you feel your dog may qualify as a Working dog, contact the Animal Management team for verification.

Rural dog is a dog housed on a working farm and kept solely or principally to contribute to the working of the farm or otherwise assist in farming activities, (but does not qualify as a "working dog").

Disability assist dogs: Dogs trained for a person with a disability by one of the following organisations: Hearing Dogs for Deaf People New Zealand, Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust, New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dogs Trust, Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind or Top Dog Companion Trust.
Note: There is no fee for registering disability assist dogs.