To register a new dog, please contact us(external link) or complete our online form.(external link)
We'll send you an email to let you know once your dog is registered. You can then pay for your dog registration online.
Each year, dog owners need to renew their dog registrations. Your registration fee helps maintain our animal management services and keep our community safe. Registrations are valid from 1 July of the current year through to 30 June the following year.
Register a new dog
Your registration reminder
We send a registration reminder to all dog owners from 1 July each year, to let you know that it is time to renew your dog’s registration and make payment.
This reminder is sent by email, or post if no email address is provided. It contains your customer number and payment reference, which is required for making payments online.
Dog owners with a responsible dog owner (RDO) status are eligible for a reduced rate.
Check your details
When you receive your registration reminder, please check that both your details and your dog’s details are correct.
If any details need to be updated, please do this before making payment.
We will send you an email to let you know when we have updated your details. You can then continue with making your dog registration payment online.
Pay your dog registration
The quickest and easiest way to pay your dog registration is online with a credit/debit card(external link) – there are no surcharges or fees. You will need your registration reminder, which has your customer number and your payment reference.
Other ways to pay
You can also visit any of the Service Desks(external link) listed on the back of your invoice and pay over the counter.
If you are unable to pay online or at a Service Desk, you can phone 03 941 8999 or 0800 800 169 to pay by credit/debit card over the phone.
Online payment security
All credit/debit card payments are processed, managed and completed by a secured and trusted third-party vendor, Windcave. Windcave is compliant with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards) and subject to the Privacy Act 2020 – evidence of compliance is available on the Windcave website(external link).
Christchurch City Council only receives transaction data that enables your payment to be made and processed. If your payment is not successfully processed due to credit/debit card or other issues, your payment liability to us will remain outstanding. Further information can be found in the Council’s Privacy Statement(external link).
Late payment fees and infringement penalties
Dog registration payments made after 31 July will incur an additional late fee. The standard late registration fee is $117, but for some dog classifications, it may be higher.
An infringement notice, which carries a $300 penalty, may be issued when the dog is found to be unregistered after 31 July. This infringement fee does not include the dog's registration fee.
Unregistered dogs may also be seized and impounded, and you would then be liable for impound fees, as well as the dog registration fee before your dog is released.
What your dog registration supports
Dog control activities
Dog control activities in Christchurch are funded entirely from dog registration and other dog licence fees.
The services include the investigation, monitoring and resolution of dog nuisance complaints and assisting communities to be safe from dog-related risks or nuisance e.g. dangerous, aggressive, wandering and barking dogs.
Free dog microchipping
We provide free microchipping for all dogs living in Christchurch that are registered with the Christchurch City Council. This free service takes place on Wednesdays from 11am to noon at the dog shelter, 10 Metro Place, Bromley – not including public holidays.
Free education programmes
Our animal management team provides the following free programmes:
- DogSmart school programme(external link): An educational programme used to advise school children on how to avoid and prevent dog attacks, and how to become good dog owners in the future.
- DogSafe workplace training(external link): An adult education course based on bite prevention in the workplace.
- Reading to dogs programme(external link): An exciting venture that helps children improve their reading ability by reading to dogs in a non-judgmental situation.
Dog shelters
Our dog shelter facilities are supported by dog registration fees and provide care to lost dogs, perform welfare checks, and facilitate a dogs’ return to their owners.
Dog parks
In conjunction with the Council Parks department, we work on the development of new parks and the review of the existing dog parks and exercise areas, throughout the city.
Patrols
We run patrols and provide enforcement of the Dog Control Act 1996 and the Council's Dog Control Bylaw for dogs in public places. We also assist with the safety of people and animals around leashed, prohibited, beach and wildlife areas.