Wandering Stock
To ensure traffic safety, minimise damage to public land and help animal owners, Animal Control will remove animals from public roads and areas. Stock wandering onto public land or roads may be impounded. If impounded, the animal owner will be liable for impounding fees, feed costs and any cartage. The Impounding Act 1955 is the legislation covering impounded stock.
Stock owners are liable for any damage caused by their stock wandering onto the road if the presence of the stock on the road is caused by the owner's negligence.
Stock wandering onto privately-owned land can be notified to Animal Control to allow them to be matched up with lost stock.
Stock Movement
In the Waimakariri District the road may be used to move stock - this is controlled by the Stock Movement Bylaw 2020.
Approvals and Permits to Move Stock
In many cases specific Council approval or a permit is not required to move stock provided certain conditions are met. These conditions are detailed in the bylaw.
Council approval or a permit is required for
- moving stock on the major roads listed in the bylaw
- in urban areas
- when the regular movement of stock occurs, such as moving dairy cows across roads to milking sheds.
For safety reasons the moving of stock is not permitted on roads at night or when visibility is very poor.
Returning stock in the case of an escape or an emergency in any situation does not require specific approval; however the conditions outlined in the bylaw should be complied with to ensure road safety is not compromised.
Stock Underpasses
The Council will consider requests to construct stock underpasses under any road in the district.
To recognise the benefit the underpasses provide, the Council will normally contribute financial support for the construction of stock underpasses. The maximum contribution available is 25% of the cost and the actual amount contributed will depend on the amount of traffic that uses the road.
Please give us a call on 0800 965 468 for further enquiries relating to stock underpasses.