Council Leads The Way So Dogs Can Have A Ball

Wellington City Council’s Kōrau Mātinitini | Social,
Cultural, and Economic Committee adopted the proposed Animal
Bylaw, Domestic Animal and Dog Policy
today.

Dogs in
Park

There’ll be more spaces for dogs
to exercise and socialise in Wellington, including the
smaller end of Oriental Bay Beach during the warmer months
– but due to popular demand, Island Bay will keep its
status quo.

Key changes adopted
include:

• New requirements for owners to carry
  the means to pick up after their dog in response to growing
  public demand for increased enforcement regarding dog
  fouling.
• Stick with status quo on Island Bay Beach
  where dogs are allowed off-leash at all times in the area
  from the pier to the western end of the
  beach.
• Expand off-leash access in the CBD by
  allowing dogs to take a splash on the righthand side of the
  Band Rotunda in Oriental Bay during off-peak hours in the
  warmer months. Dogs remain prohibited from the longer
  section of the beach and Freyberg Beach for people wanting a
  dog-free experience.
• Expand off-leash provision
  across nine suburbs in Wellington.
• Make it more
  accessible for renters and apartment dwellers to receive a
  discount of their dog registration fee under the updated
  Accredited Dog Owner scheme.
• Maintain on-leash
  status at Spicer Forest as it undergoes native regeneration
  and on-going efforts to reintroduce kiwi to the
  area.
• Require the mandatory desexing of cats, which
  supports Predator Free initiatives and the efforts of local
  rescues to reduce the stray cat
  population.
• Introduce a cap of four beehives in
  residential areas without the need for written permission
  from the Council.

Since the last review of the
Dog Policy in 2016, Wellington’s registered dog numbers
have grown almost 40 percent, with about 16,000 dogs now in
the capital.

A 2023 survey and recent consultation
shows while domestic animals are welcome in our city, good
behaviour from them and their owners is a key message from
the public says Committee Chair, Councillor Teri
O’Neill.

“This consultation process had one of the
biggest response rates we’ve ever seen, so the adoption of
these recommendations really reflects the priorities of a
large proportion of the Wellington public.

“As a
compact and growing city, this policy strikes the right
balance between the health and welfare of pets, the safety
and comfort of non-pet owners, and also reduces the impact
on our native wildlife and natural environment.”

A
proposal to swap around the ‘off-leash’ and
‘prohibited’ areas at Island Bay Beach met with
significant opposition from local residents (87%), citing
the current off-leash area as a vital ‘community
asset’.

While many supported the intention to
protect the dunes, many disagreed with the proposed
solution.

The adopted recommendation is to maintain
the status quo and explore alternative interventions like
improved signage and education campaigns to achieve desired
ecological outcomes without restricting dogs, says Deputy
Mayor Laurie Foon.

“We will work closely with
officers, volunteers, environmental groups and the community
to ensure the dunes are well-maintained, monitored, and
their value better understood by everyone.

“We will
also explore how we can further restore and protect dunes
through the development of the Coastal
Reserves Management Plan.”

Find the full list of
recommendations and the dog policy here.

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