Annual Registration

It is important to register your dog every year as part of being a responsible dog owner. If your dog is lost, he or she can be quickly and easily identified using a registration tag.

All dogs over the age of three months must be registered. Each dog should be registered at the address where they spend the majority of time. All dogs registered for the first time (except farm dogs used for stock control) must also be microchipped. The Council doesn't offer a microchipping service, but all the local vets will do this.

Multi-year metal tags

Dogs registered from 1 July 2023 will be issued with the new multi-year metal tag, instead of the previous plastic disc or strip tag that was changed annually.

The benefits of a multi-year tag:

• Reduces plastic waste and is better for the environment
• Convenience for dog owners – no need to replace a tag each year
• Reduces postage costs as a registration tag is not posted out each year
• Reduces administration costs around annual dog tags.

You will need a new tag if:

• You have a new dog that has not been registered before (you cannot transfer a multi-year tag from one dog to another)
• Your dog has a tag issued by another Council
• The tag we issued last year has been lost or damaged.

Let us know if you need a new tag by visiting a Council Service Centre or emailing office@wmk.govt.nz when you are ready to pay and we will send a new tag to you.

Dog Registration Guidelines

• Only one person can be the registered owner of a dog
• If you are under 16 years of age, the dog must be registered under a parent's or guardian's name
• The registration period is from 1 July to 30 June each year
• Registration fees must be paid
• The registration fee is reduced if you have your dog desexed
• You could be issued with a $300 fine or be prosecuted, for not registering a dog and your dog can be impounded.

Renew Registration

If your dog has been previously registered with Waimakariri District Council you should receive a renewal notice by mid-June of each year. When you receive your renewal form you can:

• Pay Online using Credit Card* or POLi (POLi allows you to pay a bill using money straight from your bank account. POLi is safe and secure, and lets you use your internet banking to make the payment)
• Send the registration form and payment to Waimakariri District Council, Private Bag 1005, Rangiora 7440
• Pay by internet banking
• Visit a service centre at Rangiora, Oxford or Kaiapoi.

Remember that the registration period is very busy for Customer Services and there may be queues at the service centre. If you haven't received your renewal form by the end of June, please download a Dog registration application form and send the form and payment to the Council.

If your dog has been spayed or neutered, please send us a copy of the vet certificate.

* A convenience fee of 2.2% applies

Fees - What are Registration Fees Used For?

Registration fees are the primary source of income to fund dog control services. Rates do not subsidise this activity.

Your dog registration fees pay for:

• 24/7 after hours emergency service
• Responding to complaints about dog attacks, roaming and barking dogs
• Promoting responsible dog ownership
• Reuniting lost dogs with their owners
• Maintaining the dog shelter
• Dog safety education programmes
• Enforcement and administration.

Want more information? Read the information sheet - Where do your dog registration fees go?

Reducing the Cost of Registration

There are two easy ways you can reduce your dog registration fees:

• Pay on time - to receive the early payment discount if paid by 31 July
• Desex your dog.

Click here for see all dog fees & charges.

A Multiple Dog Licence is required to keep three or more dogs on an urban property in the Waimakariri District for a period of more than 14 days.

The permit is for the property where your dogs are kept and places certain conditions on keeping dogs on that property. Some of these are:

• how the dog is confined - is it appropriate for the size and number of dogs?
• is an appropriate exercise area available?
• is the property securely fenced and the dogs housed an appropriate distance from adjoining properties?
• history of complaints against dog.

These conditions are designed to prevent your dogs from becoming a problem to you or your neighbours and if they are not met, Waimakariri District Council may withdraw your licence. Once you have the licence, you need to renew annually in August.

You need to reapply if:

• you move from one property to another; or
• you increase the number of dogs at the property for which you hold a licence.

The Multiple Dog Licence fee is the same regardless of the number of dogs you have on the property.

• Application for a permit to keep three or more dogs in an urban area

If your dog is missing contact the Council on 0800 965 468 and provide us with a good description of your dog, your dog's microchip number if it has one, and the area in which it strayed. You can also look on the internet to see if your dog has been found, or post a lost dog notice.

• Waimakariri District Council Facebook page
• Lost Dogs Christchurch Facebook page
• Lost and Found Pets for Rangiora and Surrounding Areas Facebook page
• Pets on the Net
• TradeMe Lost and Found Animals
• Dogwatch
• Lost Pet Finders
• Lost and Found North Canterbury Facebook Page

Stray dogs

A dog that appears to be stray may, in fact, be missing or stolen from its home. If a dog has been hanging around your area and you suspect it is a stray, you can contact the Council on 0800 965 468.

Dogs in the shelter

When a dog is found wandering, we will always do our best to reunite it with its owner. This is relatively easy if the dog is microchipped or is wearing its registration tag. Dog owners should make sure their address details are kept up-to-date with the Council or let us know if a dog is rehomed.

Contact Animal Control if you think your dog is in the pound. Dogs will only be released from the shelter when the impounding fee and any registration fees owing have been paid. Animal Control Officers are at the shelter from 9.30am to 10.00am and 4.00pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday for owners to collect their dogs.

For any dogs that are picked up outside of Council hours, a $75 after-hours fee will be applied.

If a dog has been in our shelter for seven days and has not been claimed, the Council becomes the legal owner. We try to rehome as many dogs as we can. Contact us on 0800 965 468 if you are interested in rehoming one of our unclaimed dogs.