Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

National Parks Act 1980

Control of dogs

56F: Seizure and destruction of dogs

You could also call this:

"Rules for dogs in national parks and what happens if they're not followed"

If you find a dog in a national park, here's what you need to know:

A ranger can take the dog away if it's not allowed to be there. Dogs are only allowed in national parks if there's a special rule saying they can be there, if the owner has a special permit, or if it's a working dog helping with park management.

Even if a dog has a permit to be in the park, a ranger can still take it away if:

  • The dog is not close to its owner and might hurt someone or disturb wildlife
  • The owner is not following the rules of the permit
  • The owner can't control their dog
  • The dog has hurt someone or wildlife, or killed any protected animals

Anyone, not just rangers, can take away a dog in the park if:

  • The dog's owner is breaking the rules
  • The dog might annoy or scare people or animals
  • The dog might damage things in the park
  • The dog has already caused problems or damage
  • The dog has hurt someone or wildlife, or killed any protected animals

If a ranger thinks it's too hard to catch and take away a dog, they can decide to put the dog down without asking anyone else first.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM38260.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Conservation
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56E: Persons authorised to take dogs into national park area without dog control permit, or

"Who can bring dogs into national parks without a special permit"

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56G: Disposal of seized dogs, or

"What happens to dogs taken away in national parks"

Part 5AControl of dogs

56FSeizure and destruction of dogs

  1. Any ranger who finds a dog in a national park may, unless that dog is in the national park in accordance with—

  2. a bylaw made under this Act; or
    1. a dog control permit issued under section 56B; or
      1. section 56E,—
          1. seize that dog.

        1. Where a dog is in a national park by virtue of a permit issued under section 56B, any ranger may seize that dog if—

        2. the dog is not in the immediate vicinity of the holder of the permit and the ranger 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 of the permit or any provision of any bylaw made under this Act 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 ranger 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 a national park and a ranger or any other person has good cause to suspect—

                  2. that any condition of a dog control permit or any provision of any bylaw made under this Act 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 national park; or
                        1. that dog has caused annoyance or distress to any person or animal; or
                          1. that dog has damaged any property in the national park; or
                            1. that dog has caused injury to any person or to any protected wildlife or has killed any protected wildlife,—
                                1. that ranger or other person may seize that dog.

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

                              Notes
                              • Section 56F: inserted, on , by section 3 of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).