Dog Owners Angry at Fee Hike

A dog owners group representing more than 700 dog owners in Auckland says the Auckland City Council’s increase in dog registration fees penalises responsible dog owners and will do nothing to control the estimated 2,000 dogs in Auckland which are not registered.

DOG (Dog Owners Group) President Dr Cathy Casey said today that the increases penalise responsible dog owners yet again,

“It seems to me that this is blatant revenue gathering at the expense or responsible dog owners and is yet another barrier that this anti-dog Council is putting up to restrict dog owning in this city. Lots of people on a low income derive a lot of pleasure from owning a dog and they will be the ones who are hardest hit.”

Council’s explanation for the increase is that it needs the extra revenue to employ another four animal control officers, but that this should mean that dog owners will “see enforcement of bylaws”. Dr Casey says that over the last year, there has been no uniformity in the policing of the dog bylaw by animal control officers.

“It has been responsible dog owners who have been the easy targets for animal control officers. The only enforcement of bylaws we have seen in Auckland over the past year has been where dog wardens have been leaping out of bushes to issue $200 tickets to owners with their poodle off its lead in the park.

“If animal control was going to have a blitz on unregistered dogs they might get a bit more sympathy from us. Why doesn’t the Council do a street by street survey and find out where all these unregistered dogs actually live and then get Animal Control to go and pounce on them for a change?”

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