New Plymouth district dog owners play it safe when it comes to naming their pooches with Bella proving the top dog in the naming stakes.

It is the most-common dog name registered with NPDC, with 155 pooches answering to it followed by Poppy (138 dogs), Charlie (122), Max (120) and Luna (118), says NPDC Animal Control Supervisor Scott Goldfinch.

“Then there are the unique names, like Autobot and Winnifred Wolf Allen. Personally, I really like Ronnie Barker,” he says.

As the weather heats up, NPDC’s Animal Control Team has some tips for keeping your dog happy and healthy during the hot summer months:

• Never leave your dog in a car – it can get heat stroke quickly, even on moderately warm days. It’s best to leave it at home in a cool, shady spot with fresh water.
• Give your dog two bowls of fresh water at home in case one tips over.
• If leaving your dog at home, give it a variety of toys to keep it from being bored and barking. Puzzle-feeders and interactive toys are great options.
• Give your dog frozen treats in a bowl or ice-cube tray. They take longer to eat so keep your dog occupied, as well as helping it keep cool on hot days.
• Be careful transporting dogs on ute trays because the tray surface can get very hot and burn their feet. Either give them a shaded spot or pop them into a dog crate with good ventilation.
• It’s best to exercise dogs early morning or late evening in summer, when the temperatures (and pavement surfaces) are cooler, and keep your walks/runs short so they don’t get over-exerted in the heat. Remember: dogs can get sunburnt too.
• Walk dogs on grass or dirt tracks instead of hard surfaces and be aware of how hot our black-sand beaches can get – if it’d hurt your bare feet, it’ll hurt theirs.
• Fleas and parvo are both more common in summer, so keep up with your dog’s vaccinations and flea treatments.

If your dog goes missing over the summer season, you can check if it’s in NPDC’s dog pound by calling us on 06-759 6060.

Fast facts

• There are 12,600 dogs in New Plymouth District.
• There were 414 dogs impounded in 2023/24 for wandering, attacks and other issues, up from 355 the previous 12 months.
• As well as managing the local dog population, NPDC’s animal control service attends any incidents involving wandering stock such as cattle, sheep, horses and pigs.
• NPDC also runs dog safety talks for community groups, provides advice to animal owners, investigates dog attacks, provides dogs for adoption through the Dog Pound, and enforces the Dog Control Bylaw.
• All dogs aged three months or older must be registered.

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