What you need to know

By law, you must register your dog before it is three months old. Registering your dog is a simple way for the council to identify your dog as yours. If your dog goes missing the registration tag can help to unite you quicker. By registering your dog, you help to fund a range of activities that help to keep your dog, yourself and the community happy and safe.

Pro-rata registrations

Puppies

If you are registering your puppy from 1 August onwards, the amount you pay will depend on your pet’s age. You pay for the portion of the year from when your puppy turns three months old.

For example, if your puppy is three months old in November, you’ll pay the November fee even if you are registering your dog in December or January.

Imported dogs

For imported dogs of any age arriving in New Zealand after 1 August, owners pay the pro-rata fee for the month of their arrival. For example, if your dog arrives in February, you’ll pay the February pro-rata fee when you register them for the first time.

All other dogs

If your dog is older than three months on 1 August (and has not been imported to New Zealand) and you are registering it for the first time, you’ll pay the full year registration fee.

Guide dogs, companion dogs, and hearing dogs

You still need to register your dog but we won’t charge you registration fees.

Dogs registered with a different council for the current registration year

If your dog has been registered for the current registration year starting 1st July until 30th June the following year and you move into Hamilton City, you will still need to register your dog with our council to receive a free Hamilton City Council Registration tag. You will need to provide the following information:

  • Name of the Council you have transferred from
  • Registration Tag number from said Council

What do my fees pay for?

Dog registration fees are designed to help cover many of the costs and activities involved for dogs, owners and the wider community.

The costs cover a range of activities including:
  • Administrative Services
  • Annual registration process
  • New dog registrations
  • Recording and assigning ‘jobs’ to Animal Control Officers
  • National Dog Database (updates and maintenance)
  • Managing classification processes for dogs and people
  • Multidog permits
  • Administering fines
  • Prosecutions and defended hearings
Animal Control Services
  • Proactive patrols of parks and urban streets
  • Responding to and investigating complaints e.g. dog attacks of:
  • Dog attacks
  • Roaming Dogs
  • Barking Dogs
  • Rushings
  • Other roaming animals
  • Animal nusiance complaints
  • Following up with:
  • Unregistered dogs
  • Fencing inspections
  • Classification
Kennel and public education services

Public education sessions for:

  • Pre-schools and kindergartens
  • Schools
  • Community groups
  • Businesses
  • Look after up to 65 dogs or other animals in our care
  • Vet expenses
  • Pet Adoptions
  • Manning Animal Control reception:
  • Dog registration
  • Microchipping service
  • Releasing impounded dogs
  • Events such as the Dirty Dog Challenge
Facility and fleet services
  • Maintenance of Animal Education and Control facility and fleet including:
  • 1.7 hectares of land
  • 6 kennel blocks containing 65 kennels
  • Vet room
  • Storage
  • Fleet of 5 utes with specially designed pods/canopies containing cages

Fees

Dog registration fees up to 30 June
Category 1 $85.00
Category 2 $155.00
Dog registration fees after 30 June
Category 1 $100.00
Category 2 $170.00
50% Penalty - Applies to registrations after 31 July
Category 1 $150.00
Category 2 $255.00

Frequently asked questions

What are the penalties for unregistered dogs?

Owners of unregistered dogs face an infringement fee of $300 as well as the registration fee. The dog can also be impounded, and the owner prosecuted. If you receive an infringement, details of how and where to pay are on the infringement notice.

How can I get a refund?

If your dog dies and you’ve paid for this year's registration, you can request a partial refund.


The amount of refund depends on how soon you can update us that your dog has died. We can either:

  1. calculate the refund on a pro-rata basis from the date given on your dog’s death or crematorium certificate
  2. refund you the remaining months left in the registration year from the date we receive the form below.

Please attach a deposit slip or screenshot of your bank account number so we can credit the refund directly to your account.
But first, please fill in the form below:

Notification of Deceased Dog Form

Desex your dog

Desexing (neutering or spaying) your dog benefits dog owners and the wider Hamilton community as it usually reduces:

  • aggression
  • unwanted pregnancies
  • disease

Your local vet will desex your dog, and we’ll need to see the certificate. You can send your certificate to our team below.

Microchip your dog

Microchipping makes sure dogs can be quickly identified if they go missing, are stolen, or get injured. All dogs registered for the first time need to be microchipped within two months of their registration.

Where can I get my dog microchipped?

We can microchip your dog at our Animal Education and Control office. You can also get your dog microchipped at a vet clinic or the SPCA.

Once your dog has been microchipped, we’ll need to see the certificate. You can send your certificate to our team below.

Submit your certificate

In person

Drop your certificate off to:

  • Our main Council building, 260 Anglesea Street between 7:45am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
  • Animal Education and Control, 217 Ellis Street, between 12.30pm to 4.30pm, seven days a week (excluding public holidays).
By email

Send a copy of the certificate to our team.

Tick the certificate(s) you're submitting

Max file size: 300 MB; Allowed extensions: pdf,doc,docx

Related pages

Dog exercise areas, education and events

Learn about our fun-filled events, safety education and where to exercise your dog.

Report a roaming or aggressive dog

If you’ve witnessed an attack or you are concerned about an aggressive or roaming dog in your neighbourhood, please…

Related information

Bylaws

Legislation

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Last updated 29 June 2022