Dog Control Act 1996

Obligations of owner

58: Dogs causing serious injury

You could also call this:

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

If you own a dog that attacks a person or protected wildlife and causes serious injury to the person, you commit an offence. You can be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $20,000, or both. The court will also order your dog to be destroyed, unless the court thinks the circumstances of the attack were exceptional.

If your dog attacks protected wildlife and causes its death, or injures it so badly that it needs to be put down to end its suffering, you also commit an offence. You can be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $20,000, or both. The court will order your dog to be destroyed, unless the court thinks the circumstances of the attack were exceptional.

The court's decision is based on the circumstances of the attack, and you can find more information about the laws related to dog control in the Dog Control Amendment Act 2003.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM375415.


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

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


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59: Seizure or destruction of dog at large in vicinity of protected wildlife, or

"What happens if your dog is loose near protected animals"

58Dogs causing serious injury

  1. The owner of any dog that attacks any person or any protected wildlife and causes—

  2. serious injury to any person; or
    1. the death of any protected wildlife; or
      1. such injury to any protected wildlife that it becomes necessary to destroy the animal to terminate its suffering,—
        1. commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $20,000, or both, and the court shall, on convicting the owner, make an order for the destruction of the dog unless satisfied that the circumstances of the attack were exceptional and do not justify destruction.

        Notes
        • Section 58: amended, on , by section 37 of the Dog Control Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 119).