2300 Far North dog owners haven’t paid dog registration fees - council sends infringement notices

More than 2300 Far North dog owners will soon get $300 infringement fee notices for failing to register their dogs.

Far North District Council is getting tough on errant dog owners, sending out $300 infringement notices to more than 2,300 people in the district who have not registered their pets.

The Far North’s dog registration deadline ended on August 31, but the council says with so many not paying their registration it was time to crack down - and they had the support of other dog owners.

“If you still haven’t yet registered your dog this year, you may be one of the more than 2300 Far North dog owners about to receive an infringement fee of $300 plus registration costs,” FNDC delivery and operations group manager Ruben Garcia said.

Dogs have attacked nearly 270 people in the Far North in three years. Council data revealed more than 770 attacks between 2022/23 to 2024/25. Attacks on people, pets, livestock and wildlife were recorded.

The Far North has been having issues with roaming dogs and dog attacks for years. Two people have been mauled to death by dogs in the Far North in recent years.

Garcia said the new tougher approach by the council is backed by Far North dog owners and residents who identified unregistered dogs, roaming dogs, and a lack of enforcement among their top concerns during a recent customer satisfaction survey about animal management in the district.

He said the survey, conducted between August 22 and September 14, received 665 responses, 56% of which were dog owners.

Survey respondents said their top six concerns were:

• Roaming dogs;
• Aggressive/dangerous dogs;
• Lack of enforcement;
• Unregistered dogs;
• Barking/nuisance;
• Poor public education.

Garcia said a 2024 independent review of the council’s animal management practices noted a need to promote better compliance among dog owners to improve dog control.

“We followed up that report with a public survey on animal management and the message from residents was very clear: they want roaming and aggressive dogs off our streets. To help achieve that, we are stepping up enforcement, including of dog registrations.”

Dog registration is a legal requirement under the Dog Control Act 1996, and all dogs must be registered once they reach three months of age or when they come into a new owner’s care.

The dog registration year begins on July 1; a discounted registration period runs in the Far North for two months until August 31. Owners can register their dog throughout the year, but a late registration penalty applies from September 1 and through to the end of registration year on June 30. Registering a dog can be done online or at a council service centre all year round.

Garcia said the council does its best to remind owners to register their dogs in time. Every owner with a previously registered dog is sent a renewal letter before new registrations are due. The letter includes the newsletter Kurī Karere-Doggo Digest that details the best rates, along with promotions encouraging registration. Regular registration reminders are also published on the council website and social media channels during the annual campaign to ensure dog owners have ample time to complete their registration before penalties apply.

Those who took part in the survey also suggested desexing and microchipping incentives, better enforcement and harsher penalties, education campaigns, school/community programmes and payment plans.

He said announcements on how the council will address those concerns will be made in the coming months.

In the Far North it normally costs $90 to register a dog, $135 for a dog classified as dangerous, $70 for a working dog or pig dog, and it’s free for an approved and registered disability dog. Gold Card holders get a $10 discount.

Penalty fees are laid out in the Fees-and-Charges 2025/26 document on the council’s website www.fndc.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/3537/Fees-and-Charges-2025-26.pdf.