We’re reviewing our Dog Control Policy to ensure it's fit for purpose and meets community needs and expectations.
In October, we asked for your feedback to help us develop our draft. You told us that you were generally happy with the controls we have for dogs, so we’ve kept most things the same with a few key changes.
This policy guides the rules around keeping dogs
There are more than 9,000 dogs in Palmerston North. The policy outlines the obligations and responsibilities of dog owners. It also specifies where you can and can't walk your dog, where dogs must be on a leash, and where they can be free. It defines these areas as:
- dog prohibited areas, where dogs are not allowed at all
- on-leash areas, where dogs must be on a lead
- dog exercise areas, where dogs can run free without a lead as long as they are still under control.
We're proposing a few changes to our Dog Control Policy
Some of the proposed changes are minor. Others are more significant. They’re outlined below, and you can find more detailed information in the Statement of Proposal.
Statement of Proposal: Draft Dog Control Policy 2024(PDF, 665KB)
We’re proposing to add conditions for dogs classified as menacing
This will mean dogs classified as menacing are not allowed in any public place unless they are confined in a vehicle or cage, or muzzled in a manner the prevents them from biting but allows them to breathe and to drink without obstruction.
We’re proposing to add conditions for dogs classified as dangerous
This means dogs classified as dangerous must be securely fenced on their owner’s property, and people must be able to enter the house or dwelling without going into the area where the dog is secured.
It also means dogs classified as dangerous are not allowed in any public place unless they’re confined in a vehicle or cage, or muzzled in a manner the prevents them from biting but allows them to breathe and to drink without obstruction.
We’re proposing to change the wording around barking dogs
We are proposing to align the wording in our policy with the wording in the legislation. This will help our animal management team to respond to complaints of barking dogs effectively and efficiently.
We’re proposing to add a clause for prohibited public places
The clause means that we will engage with the community if we intend to make public places that would usually be prohibited to dogs, dog on-leash areas.
We’re proposing to add a clause for temporary areas of control
Occasionally we may have reason to change the control for dogs in certain areas. The proposed clause outlines how we will let you know that a temporary change is being made.
We’re proposing a small change to how we assess our Preferred Owner Scheme
The proposed change will mean that owners who are applying to become preferred owners will need to demonstrate that in an emergency, the needs of their dogs will still be met.
We’re proposing to change the wording around the requirements for housing dogs
We’re making this change to align our policy more closely with the Code of Welfare for Dogs, particularly the minimum standards for kennelling and shelter.
Next steps
Submissions closed at 4pm on Monday 12 February.
The Strategy and Finance Committee will hear submissions on the draft Dog Control Policy at its meeting on 21 February 2024. If you’ve told us that you want to be heard by the committee, we’ll get in touch to confirm a time with you.
Once submitters have been heard, the Council will deliberate on all submissions and decide whether to adopt the draft policy.