Dog Control Act 1996

Custody of dogs

68: Pound fees

You could also call this:

"Costs for when your dog goes to the pound"

If you have a dog that gets taken to the pound, you might have to pay some fees. The council can decide how much these fees are and they can change them from time to time. They can charge fees for things like seizing your dog, feeding your dog while it's in the pound, and putting your dog down if it's in the pound.

The council has to tell people about any changes to the fees in a newspaper at least 14 days before the changes happen. When the council sets the fees, they can charge different amounts for dogs that are registered and dogs that are not registered. They can also charge more if your dog keeps getting taken to the pound.

You might have to pay the fee before you can take your dog home from the pound, if the council says you have to.

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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=DLM375441.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyHousing and property > Land useGovernment and voting > Local councils

67: Provision of pound facilities, or

"Where councils keep dogs that are taken into custody"

69: Impounding and subsequent disposal of dog, or

"What happens to your dog if it's taken by the authorities and how you can get it back"

68Pound fees

Any territorial authority may from time to time set reasonable poundage fees and reasonable fees for the following matters:
the seizure of dogs by dog control officers or dog rangers under this Act:
the sustenance of any dog impounded under this Act:
the destruction of any dog impounded under this Act.

The amount of any fee referred to in subsection (1) shall be such as may from time to time be fixed by resolution of the territorial authority, which resolution shall be publicly notified, at least 14 days before the resolution comes into effect, in a newspaper circulating in the district of the territorial authority.
In setting poundage fees under subsection (1), the territorial authority may—
set different fees for registered and unregistered dogs:
set a graduated scale of fees for the repeated impounding of the same dog.

Any fee fixed under this section shall, if so required by the territorial authority, be paid before the dog is released from the pound.

Compare

1982 No 42 s 65