Auckland Council's Animal Management team have reported a successful response to the recent reminder notices issued to dog owners who had not yet registered their pets for the current year, seeing the number of registered dogs increase by 4407 within the two-week period.
A total of 22,929 pre-infringement reminder notices were sent out to owners of 26,614 unregistered dogs across Auckland. The response has been both encouraging and impactful, growing registrations as well as giving Auckland Council more accurate data on the number of dogs currently residing in the Auckland region.
Prior to the notices being sent, a total of 132,574 dogs were recorded in the Council’s database. However, responses to the notices indicate that 2,337 previously unregistered dogs were either deceased, sold, or had moved out of Auckland, bringing the current number down to 130,237 dogs.
Animal Management Manager, Elly Waitoa, praised the swift response from dog owners.
“The response has been staggering and very positive. The number of unregistered dogs in Auckland has reduced by 6,744 to 21,411. This has not only updated our records but also contributed significant revenue to support essential animal management services for the community.”
The registration drive generated $767,349 in revenue in the first two weeks of responses - a critical contribution to Auckland Council's budget for maintaining public safety and managing animal welfare.
“It is clear dog owners are taking more responsibility and responding positively to the notices. This is money previously outstanding to the council, and we are pleased to see such a great response. Our goal is for all dog owners to register their pets, rather than face a $300 fine as the next enforcement step.”
Chair of the Regulatory and Safety Committee Councillor Josephine Bartley says this initiative underscores the council’s commitment to responsible dog ownership across Auckland, and aims to ensure all pets are registered and accounted for.
“We want to thank the dog owners who took action on these notices and remind them that continuing compliance helps maintain a safe and enjoyable community for everyone,” Cr Bartley says.
The council observed the highest response rates from the northern and southern regions of Auckland.
