Dogs

Fines

Why they are issued
Payments
Disputing a fine
Warnings
Description of infringement offences and fees

Why they are issued

If you have received an infringement notice, this will be because you have breached a provision of the Dog Control Act 1996 or a bylaw made under that act. Examples of reasons for infringement notice include:

failure to keep a dog under control
failing to clean up after a dog
keeping an unregistered dog
other offences.

Payments

You must pay the infringement fee within 56 days of the date the infringement notice was issued. Twenty eight days after that infringement notice is issued (unless you have written to us or requested a hearing or paid the fine) you will be issued a reminder notice. Twenty eight days after that reminder notice is issued (unless you have written to us or requested a hearing or paid the fine) your notice may be lodged at Court.

Payment options are:

pay online - pay by credit card
post or deliver your payment. Refer to your infringement notice for details.

Disputing a fine

If you wish to object to any part of the infringement notice or fee, you should write to Auckland City Council at:

Animal services, Auckland City Council, Private Bag 92516, Wellesley Street, Auckland, 1141.

Ensure you sign any letter personally.

Warnings

Discretion has been given to dog control officers to issue either a warning or an infringement depending upon the situation.

The new warning system for these offences is as a result of Auckland City Council's review of its dog control bylaw, which indicated that in some cases a warning may be more appropriate than an infringement.

The offences where warnings can now be issued are considered suitable because there is low risk to public safety. Any subsequent offences within two years will incur a fine.

The offences where a warning may be applied are

failure to confine
failure to remove faeces
failure to advise change of address
failure to provide welfare
owner present but dog off leash
failure to carry a leash in public
failure to advise of change of ownership
failure to re-register within one month of due date

Description of infringement offences and fees

The following infringement fees are as set out in Schedule 1 of the Dog Control Act 1996; they are set fees for infringement notices issued by the council. For many of these offences, the court can impose a higher maximum penalty if the breach is dealt with by a court hearing.

Section of Act	Description of offence	Fine ($)
18	Wilful obstruction of dog control officer or dog ranger	750
19(2)	Failure or refusal to supply information or wilfully providing false particulars	750
19A(2)	Failure to supply information or wilfully providing false particulars about dog	750
20(5)	Failure to comply with any bylaw authorised by section 20 of the Dog Control Act 1996 (eg failure to remove faeces). See Part 12 of the bylaw for more information.	300
23A(2)	Failure to undertake dog owner education programme or dog obedience course (or both)	300
24	Failure to undertake dog owner education programme or dog obedience course (or both)	750
28(5)	Failure to comply with effects of disqualification	750
32(2)	Failure to comply with effects of classification of dog as dangerous dog	300
32(4)	Fraudulent sale or transfer of dangerous dog	500
33EC(1)	Failure to comply with effects of classification of dog as menacing dog	300
33F(3)	Failure to advise person of muzzle and leashing requirements	100
36A(6)	Failure to implant microchip transponder in dog	300
41	False statement relating to dog registration	750
41A	Falsely notifying death of a dog	750
42	Failure to register a dog.	300
46(4)	Fraudulent procurement or attempt to procure replacement dog registration label or disc	500
48(3)	Failure to advise change of dog ownership	100
49(4)	Failure to advise change of address	100
51(1)	Removal, swapping or counterfeiting of registration label or disc	500
52(A)	Failure to keep dog controlled or confined	200
53(1)	Failure to keep dog under control	200
54(2)	Failure to provide proper care and attention, to supply proper and sufficient food, water, and shelter, and to provide adequate exercise.	300
54(A)	Failure to use or carry leash in public place	100
62(4)	Allowing dogs known to be dangerous to be at large unmuzzled or unleashed	300
62(5)	Failure to advise of muzzle and leashing requirements	100
72(2)	Releasing dog from custody	750

Reviewed May 2008