Media release
22 August 2014
Managing Auckland’s animals – have your say
Owners of chickens, bees, goats or other animals may be interested in having their say on Auckland Council’s Proposed
Animal Management Bylaw, now open for public feedback.
The new Auckland-wide bylaw will replace 18 sets of regulations inherited from former councils. It will introduce a
single approach to managing animals other than dogs, ensuring nuisance and risks to public health and safety are
minimised.
The bylaw includes proposals about keeping other stock - roosters, goats, pigs and geese - in urban areas as defined
under the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, in rural areas and in public places. It also refers to horse riding on beaches
and parks.
“A lot of people enjoy keeping animals for enjoyment and practical reasons but it’s important that it doesn’t impact on
public health and safety or cause a nuisance,” says Councillor Calum Penrose, chair of the Regulatory and Bylaws
Committee.
“There is a growing trend of people wanting to keep animals in urban backyards which is usually a good thing but can
cause problems if not managed properly.”
The new bylaw will create a consistent approach to animal management across Auckland, but it does not cover animal
welfare issues. The Animal Welfare Act does not give councils the powers to manage welfare issues. Other agencies, such
as the SPCA and the Ministry for Primary Industries, work in this area.
Key proposals of the bylaw refer to how some animals are kept and the numbers of them, such as:
• Bees - responsible hive management standards and good practice guidelines will aim to minimise common problems caused by bees
including swarming and nuisance from bee excrement. A licence will be required for the keeping of bees on public land
but not on private property, for example if within the limits of two hives on a 500-700 sqm property.
• Stock – including chickens, goats and pigs - a licence from the council will be needed for those wanting to keep more than six chickens or other stock, such as a
rooster, goat, pig or sheep on an urban property. Minimum standards including containment and cleanliness of coops will
be expected for the keeping of up to six chickens.
• Horse riding - the bylaw proposes to manage horse riding in public places such as beaches and roads through responsible horse riding
standards to prevent damage to council land and perceived safety and nuisance problems. Conditions are also proposed for
horse riding at specified beaches.
Submissions on the Proposed Animal Management Bylaw close on 15 September 2014. For more information, or to make an
online submission, go to shapeauckland.co.nz
Documents are also available on request from public libraries and customer service centres.
Ends
Editor’s note:
Please find a set of frequently asked questions attached.