Dog Control Act 1996

Obligations of owner

57A: Dogs rushing at persons, animals, or vehicles

You could also call this:

"What happens if your dog rushes at people, animals, or vehicles in a public place"

If you own a dog that rushes at people, animals, or vehicles in a public place, you need to know what can happen. If your dog rushes at someone or an animal and they get hurt, or if your dog damages something, you can get in trouble. You can be fined up to $3,000 if your dog does something like this.

If your dog rushes at a vehicle and causes an accident, or might cause one, you can also get in trouble. The court can decide to destroy your dog if it thinks that's the best thing to do. You can be fined and have to pay for any damage your dog caused.

A dog control officer can take your dog away if they think you have broken the rules about dogs rushing at people, animals, or vehicles. They can go onto land or into buildings, except for your home, to take your dog.

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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=DLM375413.


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58: Dogs causing serious injury, or

"Dogs that seriously hurt people or animals can get their owners in big trouble"

57ADogs rushing at persons, animals, or vehicles

  1. This section applies to a dog in a public place that—

  2. rushes at, or startles, any person or animal in a manner that causes—
    1. any person to be killed, injured, or endangered; or
      1. any property to be damaged or endangered; or
      2. rushes at any vehicle in a manner that causes, or is likely to cause, an accident.
        1. If this section applies,—

        2. the owner of the dog commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 in addition to any liability that he or she may incur for any damage caused by the dog; and
          1. the court may make an order for the destruction of the dog.
            1. A dog control officer or dog ranger who has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed under subsection (2)(a) may, at any time before a decision of the court under that subsection, seize or take custody of the dog and may enter any land or premises (except a dwellinghouse) to do so.

            Notes
            • Section 57A: inserted, on , by section 36 of the Dog Control Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 119).
            • Section 57A(2)(a): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).