Dog Control Act 1996

Registration and registration fees

51: Offences relating to collars, labels, and discs

You could also call this:

"Breaking the rules about dog identification tags and collars can get you in trouble with the law"

If you try to deceive people, you can get in trouble with the law. You will commit an offence if you remove a collar with a label or disc from a dog, or remove the label or disc from the collar. You will also commit an offence if you put a label or disc on a dog that was issued for another dog. You can get a fine of up to $3,000 if you are found guilty. If you are found guilty of removing a collar, label, or disc from a dog and the dog gets impounded, you might have to pay the owner's fees for impounding the dog.

If the dog gets sold or destroyed, you might have to pay the owner the full value of the dog. You can also get in trouble if you make or use a fake label or disc that looks like one issued under this Act. The court will decide how much you have to pay if you are found guilty.

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This page was last updated on 19 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM375191.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal lawCrime and justice > Police and safety

50: Dog not wearing proper label or disc may be impounded, or

"Dogs must wear a registration label or disc, or they might be taken away."

52: Control of dogs generally, or

"Keeping Your Dog Under Control"

51Offences relating to collars, labels, and discs

Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 who, with intent to deceive,—
removes from a dog a collar bearing a label or disc issued under this Act; or
removes any such label or disc attached to any collar worn by any dog; or
attaches to any dog or has in that person's keep any dog wearing any such label or disc issued in respect of another dog; or
makes or counterfeits or, knowing the same to be false or counterfeit, purchases, uses, or has in that person's possession, any label or disc resembling or apparently intended to resemble or pass for a label or disc issued under this Act.

Where a person is convicted of an offence against paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of subsection (1), and the dog has been impounded in consequence of the removal of that collar, label, or disc, the court may order that person to pay to the owner any fees payable by the owner relating to the impounding of the dog and, if the dog has been sold or destroyed, the full value of that dog as determined by the court.

Compare

1982 No 42 s 48

Notes

Section 51(1): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
Section 51(1): amended, on 1 December 2003, by section 30 of the Dog Control Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 119).