All dogs within the District must be kept under effective control at all times, be registered and be properly cared for.
Dogs must be kept on a leash in, or adjacent to, all urban areas and also in the presence of protected wildlife.
Dogs may run free in Dog Exercise Areas but must still be under the effective control of whoever is in charge of them. There are specific areas where dogs are prohibited for part or all of the year. Check the Dog Exercise Map.
In 2026 we are introducing life tags. Each dog will receive one durable stainless steel dog registration tag to use for its entire life, instead of a new plastic tag every year. Read more in this flier (pdf 1.4 MB).
Benefits of life tags
What stays the same
Think of a life tag like a car number plate – you keep the plate but still pay your registration each year.
Only the tag is changing, not the rules. Life tags modernise dog identification, not the law.
Why is Council making this change?
How registration will be checked
Because tag colours no longer change each year, Animal Control Officers will check registration using the unique tag number, Council registration systems, and the National Dog Database. This approach is already used successfully by many New Zealand councils.
Your responsibilities as a dog owner
Tasman’s dog registration fees are calculated based on the size of the property where the dog is kept and are reviewed annually. The following fees apply for 2026/2027.
If annual registration fees are not paid on or before 31 July, a 50% penalty increase will apply.
Dog registration brochure - what you need to know (pdf 309 KB)
Read more about what your dog registration fee pays for. (pdf 135 KB)
If you have a new dog, or any registration details have changed, please complete the details on the Dog Registration Application Form and send the completed form to any Council office or email it to [email protected].
You can still pay online. Once you receive your dog’s registration tag, your dog needs to wear this at all times. Collars may also be purchased at all Council offices.
The cost to register a working dog for the 2026/2027 year is $50.
This form is to be completed to declare that your dog(s) is a/are full time working dog(s) kept solely or principally for the purpose of herding or driving stock. If requested, you must demonstrate the dog’s ability to perform its specified function to council’s satisfaction.
Renewals
If your details and your dog's details are the same as those provided on the Registration Application Form you have received, then you can pay by credit card or internet banking.
Annual dog registration
A dog registration form is mailed or emailed to all owners of previously registered dogs at the beginning of June each year. If you do not receive a form, email Dog Control.
Annual registration fees are due by 30 June each year. Fees not paid by 31 July incur a 50% penalty fee.
Once the payment is processed, the tags will be posted to you. Please use the following details with your payment:
|
Particulars |
Code |
Reference |
|
Surname & Initials of Registered Dog Owner |
The words “Dog Reg” |
Dog Owner Number, rop right hand corner of Registration invoice. |
If you or your dog change address, or if your dog changes ownership, you need to advise Council in writing within 14 days. It is an offence, which carries a fine, if you do not notify these changes within 14 days. All other changes of details also need to be notified in writing.
A resource consent is required in order to keep three or more dogs on a residential zoned property. Find out more about applying for a resource consent.
A kennel licence to keep three or more non-working dogs applies to properties under 1 hectare in non-residential zones. For properties over 1 hectare, a kennel licence is required for six or more non-working dogs.
For more information, contact any Council office or email Dog Control
Late registration
Dog registrations that remain unpaid at 1 August will incur a 50% penalty fee. Late registrations create additional administrative costs in reminders and postage as well as staff time. The implementation of a penalty encourages dog owners to register on time.
Failing to register your dog
Not registering your dog is an offence against the Dog Control Act 1996. If you do not register your dog an infringement notice may be issued, or your dog may be seized and impounded, or you as the owner may be prosecuted. Fees are incurred if an unregistered dog is seized, sustenance fees apply and your dog must be registered and microchipped prior to its release.
Late penalty fee waiver request
You can request a waiver for the late registration penalty fee. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Use the form below.
If your dog dies during the registration year, you are able to receive a refund of part of the registration fee, following a request made in writing. This is based on the number of complete months remaining in the registration year at the time of the written application. A refund application form is available below.
Registration tags are not transferable between dogs, and it is an offence to do so.
Refunds are not available if your dog changes ownership or you sign your dog over to an Animal Centre (e.g. SPCA).
Dog Control Fees |
Charges from 1 July 2025 incl. GST |
|
Registration Fees Fees and charges as per S37 Dog Control Act 1996 (DCA) |
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|
Urban Dog (Includes all properties <1Ha in rural areas) |
$90.00 |
|
Rural Dog (Large Properties >1Ha) |
$70.00 |
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Working Dog Those kept solely or principally for the purposes of herding or driving stock |
$50.00 |
|
Disability Assist Dogs |
No charge |
|
Search and Rescue Dogs |
No charge |
|
Late payment fee – if registration paid after 1 August |
Additional 50% |
|
Dangerous dogs Fees and charges as per S32(1)(e) DCA Fees are 150% higher than the applicable fee that would apply if the dog was not classified as a dangerous dog. |
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Impounding Fees Fees and charges as per S68 DCA |
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1st impounding |
$80.00 |
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2nd impounding |
$110.00 |
|
3rd impounding |
$165.00 |
|
Sustenance |
$22.00 |
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Drop Off or Pick Up Fee (where dogs are not impounded) |
$54.00 |
|
Fee for the euthanizing of impounded dogs |
Actual Cost |
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Micro-chipping Fees and charges as per S69A DCA |
|
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Micro-chipping impounded dogs if required |
$35.00 |
|
Fees and charges as per S12 LGA |
|
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Micro-chipping on request (when available) |
$20.00 |
|
Micro-chipping first registered dogs under 6 months |
No charge |
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Fees and charges as per Dog Control Bylaw 2024 s22.3 |
|
|
Kennel Licence; Initial Application (plus any additional costs associated with staff time, hearings and inspections) |
$220.00 |
|
Fees and charges as per S37 DCA |
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|
Replacement registration tag or disk |
$5.00 |
Since 1 July 2006 all new puppies and dogs being registered for the first time in New Zealand must be microchipped within two months of when they are registered. Microchipping has proved very successful in tracing owners of lost dogs all around the country, providing Council has been given the microchip number to add to the National Dog Database.
Does my dog need to be microchipped?
Other microchipping information
Microchipping services are provided by Nelson SPCA and local vets and Tasman Dog Pound. A signed verification certificate is given to the dog owner which must be brought to Council as soon as possible so that our records and the National Dog Database can be updated.
Free dog microchipping
Available for Tasman registered dogs under one year old.
| Richmond | Every Friday 9am - 10am. Appointments recommended but not always essential. Call 03 543 7012. | Tasman Dog Pound - 121 Beach Road, Richmond |
The Dog Control Policy and Bylaw was adopted in December 2024 and took effect on 31 March 2025. Read more about what is changing on Shape Tasman.
This bylaw includes requirements for the control of dogs in public places. There are maps indicating prohibited areas, leash control areas and dog exercise areas.
You can view those areas on this interactive map.
The bylaw points out the requirement to remove dog faeces and places limitations on the number of dogs that can be kept.
Please note that a separate bylaw governs the Abel Tasman Foreshore Scenic Reserve, and dogs are prohibited - with a very few exceptions.
View section 9 of the bylaw on the DOC website for full details.
If your pet has gone missing and you are unsure where to start looking, or if you have found a stray animal and are unsure what to do with it, please contact the Council immediately.
We will need an accurate description of the animal you have lost or found:
And contact details for yourself in case the animal is reported after you have called.
You should also contact the SPCA on 03 547 7171 and locals vets.
You have seven days to claim your dog from our pound. If a dog is not claimed by its owner then Tasman District Council takes responsibility for the dog.
Any dog impounded on a second occasion must be microchipped before its release.
Any unregistered dog that has been impounded must be registered and microchipped before its release.
From time to time dogs re available for rehoming, and those deemed suitable are neutered/spayed and microchipped.
Dogs often bark when they are excited such as when you are playing with them or when they are about to go out for a walk. This type of barking simply shows your dog is happy and will generally stop once the exciting activity ceases. The nuisance of noise such as a dog’s excessive barking is perceptual – what is excessive to one person may not be to another. Under the Dog Control Act 1996, to classify dog barking as a nuisance, each case must be investigated by an Animal Control Officer.
If you are being annoyed by the persistent and loud barking or howling of a dog, you should report the dog to Animal Control by calling the Council's 24 hour line (03) 543 8400.
Once a complaint is made, we will ask you to provide details noting the date, time and length of each noise incident. We will need to identify the type of howling or barking heard, to establish if the animal is distressed or a nuisance.
With the information the complainant provides, we may:
If there is no improvement after Animal Control’s investigation, and more issues are reported against the same dog, the Council will move to the next step to try to resolve the problem.
Dogs are descended from the wolf and they sometimes show behavioural traits we associate with wild animals. Dogs may bite when they are frightened, injured, threatened or when they attempt to be dominant or territorial. Usually, biting is a result of poor training and socialisation, or the owner's lack of control over the dog.
Biting is not acceptable behaviour and can result in serious consequences for the dog, its owner and the victim.
Under the Dog Control Act 1996, dogs responsible for attacks on people or other animals can be seized and/or destroyed. The dog owner can be charged with an offence under the Act and may be liable on summary conviction to a fine. In addition, the owner is also liable for any damages caused by the dog. The dog may be classified as either Menacing or Dangerous and must comply with the obligations of these classifications, and in a worst-case scenario, may be destroyed.
If you have been a victim of, witness to or are the owner of an aggressive or dangerous dog, or a dog that has attacked, you should advise Animal Control of any incident as soon as it occurs by calling Council on 03 543 8400. This number may be called 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
You will be asked for the following details:
The names and addresses of the dog owner and any witnesses should be obtained. If the dog owner leaves the incident without supplying these details, you should note their appearance and vehicle registration number.
The address of the offending dog is important for an Animal Control Officer to make contact. If the owner is not present, the offending dog should be followed to obtain its home address. Follow the dog with a reasonable distance between you – do not chase or call it.
All details, medical reports and marked clothing from the attack should be kept as evidence to build a case against the owner.
Some dog breeds are classified by the Government as "menacing" or "dangerous" dogs.
Find out more about the Government Classification of Menacing Dogs (pdf 392 KB)
