Govt Strengthens Protections For Dogs
The Government has taken action to ban the prolonged tethering of dogs, with new regulations targeting owners who fail to properly care for their dogs coming into force next month, Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says.
“Prolonged tethering causes significant distress to dogs, affecting their health by limiting their freedom to move and perform normal behaviours,” Mr Hoggard says.
“This can lead to excessive barking, aggression and other behaviours which could endanger their welfare, and the safety of families that own dogs, the public and other animals.
“These new rules target the unacceptable treatment from a small minority of owners that I often hear members of the public raising concerns about.
“Prolonged confinement and tethering of dogs is one of the most common areas investigated by SPCA. They tell me they receive daily calls about it and it accounts for about 10 per cent of dog-related welfare complaints. That’s why we’re putting a stop to it.
“The new rules target dog owners who do not let their dogs off tether to receive sufficient exercise to maintain their health and wellbeing.
“Responsible dog owners who love and care for their animals and regularly take them out for walks won’t be affected by the new rules.”
Under the new rules:
There are exceptions to the new rules – for example, working dogs such as farm dogs provided they are regularly off-tether and receive adequate exercise.
“We’ve worked closely with SPCA, farming organisations and other stakeholders to ensure the new rules are both effective and workable, and I acknowledge their support,” Mr Hoggard says.
“This Government is committed to animal welfare and received strong public support for this change.”
The new rules take effect on 25 September 2025 and will enable animal welfare inspectors to issue infringements when they identify a dog is suffering harm from being tied up for long periods. This change has been enabled through an amendment to the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-introduces-stronger-protections-dogs