More than 5000 fines have been dished out to dog owners in Auckland for not registering their pets.
Auckland Council has been cracking down on dog owners to register their dogs or be hit with an infringement fine of $300, or worse, face the court.
In February, council sent out 5572 infringement notices to dog owners. If each fine was $300, it would total $1.67 million.
Of these, 2542 were in south Auckland.
Council's licensing and compliance general manager Robert Irvine said they have provided ample opportunities for dog owners to comply.
However, it was time for those who continued to ignore their obligations to face the consequences, he said.
“The time for leniency has passed – it’s now a matter of fairness to those who do the right thing,” Irvine said.
Manukau City had 1779 unregistered dogs, Papakura had 467 and Pukekohe with 296.
Waitākere had 1107 unregistered pets, North Shore had 969 and the old Auckland City Council area had 954.
Figures provided by council was grouped by legacy councils.
The initial round of infringement notices were issued 28 days ago, prompting many dog owners to settle their fines.
A follow-up reminder letter was sent out on April 4 to make payment, before their debt was handed over to the court system for enforcement.
As of April 11, 3813 fines remain unpaid.
Council said the infringement campaign was effective in prompting compliance, while also helping ensure they had the most up to date information for dogs and dog owners.
“Auckland Council remains firm on ensuring compliance with dog registration requirements.
“Those who continue to disregard their obligations should be prepared for additional penalties.”
Registrations of pets help pay for the animal management services Auckland Council provides to get dogs off the streets, the prosecution of dog owners whose dogs have injured others, and the euthanising of these dogs.
Registering a dog for the first time costs between $48 for working dogs, to $213 for a standard dog.
All dogs in Auckland must be registered annually.
Dogs must be registered before it turns three months old, and registered at an address where it spends most of its time.
Microchipping a dog must follow within two months of registration.
Regulatory and Safety Committee chair, councillor Josephine Bartley, said dog registration was not optional.
“This is the first time we’ve moved to last resort measures and issued infringement notices.
“Dog registration is a legal requirement designed to benefit both the community and pet owners.”
Last November, council sent out 22,929 pre-infringement reminder notices to owners of unregistered dogs, which resulted in a significant increase in registrations.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
