Draft Dog Bylaw and Dog Control Policy unleashed for consultation

Published on 15 July 2024

Waitakians will have their say on the District’s Draft Dog Bylaw and Dog Control Policy this month, in a consultation that runs from Monday 15 July to Monday 12 August.

A pre-engagement at the Let’s Talk Dogs site ran between December and February, receiving nearly two-hundred responses to a survey about the existing Bylaw and policy. This informed Council in updating and making changes and improvements to the Bylaw and policy.

By submitting at the Let’s Talk Dogs, the community will be able to comment on proposed changes and indicate if they wish to make a verbal submission to Councillors later this year.

Some key changes include:

• Under the current Bylaw, dogs are prohibited from Oamaru commercial areas, including Thames Street, Harbour Street and the North End Shops: We are proposing to change these areas from prohibited to On-Lead with new leashing and tethering requirements for these areas.
  
  
• Dogs are currently prohibited from all Council sportsgrounds: We’re proposing that dogs on-lead and under continuous control may enter any part of a sportsground where pitches are not physically marked on the ground, and on marked pitches when these are not being used for sporting activities, whether organised or informal.
  
  
• Dogs are currently prohibited within 10m of children’s play equipment: We’re proposing an exemption for on-lead dogs only when passing the playground on a formed track or path.
  
  
• We’re proposing designating some coastal areas in Kakanui and the beach reserve along Beach Road as Off-lead exercise areas

You can find full details of all the proposed changes in our Draft Dog Control Policy and Bylaw, marked in red on both documents at: https://www.letstalk.waitaki.govt.nz/lets-talk-dogs.

ENDS