Conservation Act 1987

Control of dogs

26ZZL: Seizure and destruction of dogs

You could also call this:

"Rules for when authorities can take or put down dogs in certain areas"

If you have a dog in a controlled dog area, a warranted officer can take your dog away if it is not allowed to be there. This can happen if your dog is not with the person who has a permit, or if the permit conditions are not being followed. You can find out more about dog control permits in section 26ZZH(1) and section 26ZZK. A warranted officer can also take your dog away if they think someone might get hurt, or if wildlife might get disturbed or hurt.

If your dog is in an open dog area and a warranted officer thinks it might cause problems, they can take your dog away. You can find out more about conditions for open dog areas in section 26ZU(c). A warranted officer can take your dog away if they think it is not being controlled, or if it has already caused problems.

If a warranted officer thinks it is not safe to take your dog away, they can destroy it without asking anyone else.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM106083.


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26ZZK: Persons authorised to take dogs into controlled dog area without dog control permit, or

"Who can take dogs into controlled areas without a permit"


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26ZZM: Disposal of seized dog, or

"What happens to a dog that's been taken by authorities"

Part 5CControl of dogs

26ZZLSeizure and destruction of dogs

  1. Any warranted officer who finds a dog in a controlled dog area, may, unless that dog—

  2. is in the controlled dog area in accordance with a dog control permit issued under section 26ZZH(1); or
    1. is in the controlled dog area in accordance with section 26ZZK,—
      1. seize the dog.

      2. Where a dog is in a controlled dog area by virtue of a dog control permit issued under section 26ZZH(1), any warranted officer may seize that dog if—

      3. the dog is not in the immediate vicinity of the holder of the permit and the warranted officer has good cause to suspect that there is a significant risk—
        1. of injury to any person or any protected wildlife; or
          1. of disturbance to any protected wildlife; or
          2. any condition, being a condition imposed under section 26ZU(c) in relation to the controlled dog area or a condition of the permit, is not being observed in relation to the dog; or
            1. the holder of the permit is in the immediate vicinity of the dog but the warranted officer has good cause to suspect that the holder of the permit is unwilling or unable to control the dog; or
              1. the dog has caused injury to any person or to any protected wildlife or has killed any protected wildlife.
                1. Where a dog is at large in an open dog area and a warranted officer or any other person has good cause to suspect—

                2. that any condition imposed under section 26ZU(c) in relation to the open dog area is not being observed in relation to that dog; or
                  1. that dog is likely to cause annoyance or distress to any person or animal; or
                    1. that dog is likely to damage any property in the open dog area; or
                      1. that dog has caused annoyance or distress to any person or animal; or
                        1. that dog has damaged any property in the open dog area; or
                          1. that dog has caused injury to any person or to any protected wildlife or has killed any protected wildlife,—
                            1. that warranted officer or other person may seize that dog.

                            2. Where a warranted officer has, under any provision of subsections (1) to (3), power to seize a dog but is of the opinion that it is impracticable or dangerous to do so, that warranted officer may, without any further inquiry, destroy that dog.

                            Notes
                            • Section 26ZZL: inserted, on , by section 3 of the Conservation Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 14).