Your responsibilities | Hamilton City Council

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	$91.00
Category 2	$165.00

Dog registration fees after 30 June
Category 1	$106.00
Category 2	$181.00

50% Penalty - Applies to registrations after 31 July
Category 1	$159.00
Category 2	$271.50

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:

calculate the refund on a pro-rata basis from the date given on your dog’s death or crematorium certificate
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).