Dogs are prohibited at some beaches during the summer in order to protect swimming and recreation activities from dog related nuisances

COVID-19 update on parks and tracks

The Government is asking for everyone to stay at home. Their advice is that you can go for a walk or exercise outdoors for a short time, but to stick to simple walks or exercise spots close to home. 

If using one of our parks, always stay two metres away from anyone not in your household. If you take your dog, please keep it on a leash at all times to help avoid contact with other dogs. Take your dog poo home and dispose of it in your red bin.

Where there are gates and latches in parks, please avoid using your hands to open and close them. If gates are off their hinges or left open, please leave them as you find them.

Cemeteries are open for pedestrian access only. 

The following are closed:

  • Public toilets.
  • Playgrounds, play equipment or exercise equipment in parks.
  • The Botanic Gardens.
  • Car parks within parks.
  • Visitor and information centres.
  • The Spencer Park animal area and fenced dog parks.
  • All Council-owned sports facilities

Unite Against Covid-19, visit covid19.govt.nz

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boy and dog in kayak

Summer Beach Prohibition Areas

Christchurch City swimming beaches

Dogs are prohibited in these areas from 1 November to 31 March between 9am and 7pm:

  • Spencer Park, Waimairi, North and South New Brighton Beaches
    Dogs are prohibited for a distance of 100 metres in northerly and southerly directions from the Surf Life Saving Club’s pavilions.
  • New Brighton Beach
    Dogs are prohibited for a distance of 100 metres in a northerly direction of the Surf Life Saving Club’s pavilion to a point 100 metres southward of the Christchurch Pier.
  • Sumner Beach
    Dogs are prohibited for a distance of 100 metres in a northerly direction of the Sumner Surf Life Saving Club’s pavilion to Cave Rock in the south.
  • Taylor's Mistake Beach
    Dogs are prohibited for a distance of 50 metres in a general northerly and southerly direction from the Taylor's Mistake Surf Life Saving Club’s pavilion.

Banks Peninsula swimming beaches

Dogs are prohibited in these areas from 1 November to 31 March between 9am and 7pm:

  • Lyttelton Harbour beach and foreshore areas
    Cass Bay beach, Corsair Bay beach, Sandy Bay beach, Paradise Bay beach, Hays Bay beach, Diamond Harbour beach and Purau beach.
  • Peninsula beach and foreshore areas
    Akaroa beach, French Farm beach, Le Bon’s Bay beach, Little Akaloa beach, Okain's Bay beach, Port Levy beach and Tikao Bay beach.

Exceptions

Although dogs are prohibited, dog owners are allowed to walk their dog through these areas, as long as the dog is on a short leash and dog and owner are only passing through the area.

Outside of these dates and times, beaches revert back to 'under effective control' areas.

The summer beach prohibition areas apply on specified swimming beaches or sections of beach, not along the whole coastal area. However, other coastal areas have dog prohibition status year-round to protect wildlife, these areas are set out in the Council’s Dog Control Policy.

Effective control

If you are a dog owner and you have your dog off-leash in a public place, you must have it under effective control.

This means being aware of where the dog is, what it is doing, ensuring it is responsive to commands and is not creating a nuisance.

Check the map of leashed and prohibited dog control areas for more information about where you can take your dog.