Dog Control Act 1996

Obligations of owner

55: Barking dogs

You could also call this:

"What to do if your dog's barking is disturbing others"

If you own a dog that barks or howls a lot, a dog control officer or dog ranger might get a complaint about it. They can come onto your property, except your house, to see how you are looking after your dog. They can also give you a written notice telling you to do something about the barking or to move your dog to a different place.

You might get a notice telling you what to do about your dog's barking. If you do not like what the notice says, you can write to the territorial authority to object within 7 days. The territorial authority will think about your objection and might change the notice or cancel it.

If you object to the notice, the territorial authority will tell you when and where they will discuss your objection. You can go to the discussion, bring someone with you, and show evidence to support your objection. After they make a decision, they will send you another notice telling you what they decided.

If you get a notice and do not do what it says, you can get in trouble. You might have to pay a fine of up to $1,500 if you do not follow the notice within 7 days, or if you do not follow a modified notice given to you by the territorial authority.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM375407.


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"Take a leash when your dog is with you in public"


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56: Removal of barking dog causing distress, or

"What happens if your dog's barking is causing problems for others and you don't stop it"

55Barking dogs

  1. Where a dog control officer or dog ranger has received a complaint and has reasonable grounds for believing that a nuisance is being created by the persistent and loud barking or howling of any dog, the dog control officer or dog ranger may—

  2. enter at any reasonable time upon the land or premises, other than a dwellinghouse, on which the dog is kept, to inspect the conditions under which the dog is kept; and
    1. whether or not the dog control officer or dog ranger makes such entry, give the owner of the dog a written notice requiring that person to make such reasonable provision on the property to abate the nuisance as shall be specified in the notice or, if considered necessary, to remove the dog from the land or premises.
      1. Any person on whom notice is served under subsection (1) may, within 7 days of the receipt of the notice, object in writing to the territorial authority against the requirements of that notice.

      2. The territorial authority shall consider the objection and may confirm, modify, or cancel the notice.

      3. No objection under this section shall be considered unless 7 days' notice of the date and time when and the place at which it is to be considered have been given to the objector, who shall be entitled to be represented and to be heard and may submit evidence and call witnesses in support of his or her objection.

      4. Upon the determination of the objection, the territorial authority shall give to the objector a further notice stating the decision of the authority, and, if the effect of the decision is to modify the requirements of the dog control officer or dog ranger, shall set out those requirements as so modified.

      5. As from the lodging of an objection with the territorial authority, and pending the receipt of a further notice upon the determination of the objection, the notice setting out the requirements that are the subject of the objection shall be deemed to be suspended.

      6. Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,500 who, having been served with a notice under this section,—

      7. fails or neglects to comply with that notice (not being a notice that has been suspended under subsection (6)) within 7 days of its receipt by that person:
        1. fails or neglects to comply with any notice as modified or confirmed by a territorial authority under subsection (3) within the time specified by the territorial authority.
          Compare
          • 1982 No 42 s 54
          Notes
          • Section 55(7): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).