Friday 30 June deadline looming for dog fee registrations and free de-sexing offer on menacing dogs

With just over a week to go before the Friday 30 June deadline for both dog registration payments and the end of the free de-sexing offer for menacing dogs council is hoping for a big increase in the number of owners doing either.

Ruapehu Compliance Team Leader Brenda Ralph said 70% of all Ruapehu dog owners are still to register their dog for the coming registration year and only 10% of known menacing dog owners have taken advantage of the free de-sexing offer.

Council would really like to encourage owners not to leave things until the last minute.

“We have almost 5,000 dogs on our database and just over 1,300 dogs having been reregistered so far, and likewise, council has sent out 59 vouchers for free de-sexing to owners of known menacing dogs and only 6 have been redeemed.”

“Missing the Friday 30 June deadline for either dog registration fee payments or the free de-sexing offer for menacing dogs could hit owners in the pocket,” she said.

“Pet dog owners who have a Special Owner Policy (SOP) accreditation will lose out on their SOP on-time payment discount if they miss the 30 June deadline.”

“Qualifying dog owners who do not take advantage of the free de-sexing offer by then will end up paying out of their own pocket when the amended Dog Control Act comes into force and de-sexing for menacing dogs becomes compulsory.”

Mrs. Ralph said that the current slow pace of registrations and low uptake of the free menacing dog de-sexing offer before the 30 June deadline was a little bit perplexing as both can save owners money.

“A few years ago, council introduced a new dog registration fee structure to provide a greater incentive for dog owners to pay on time and meet other legal and good dog owner obligations.”

“The current dog registration fee model is designed to provide more fairness by recognising different categories of dogs and specifically reward proactive, prompt payment by dog owners rather than penalties for non-compliance that the old pricing model focused on.”

“The free de-sexing offer for dogs deemed menacing due to breed, type or behaviour was a special government funded initiative and is very unlikely to be repeated.”

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