FAQs - Animals

Horses can be walked in urban areas at any time. Riders must have control of their horse at all times, and they are required to ‘pick up’ horse droppings. Please see our Animal Nuisance and the Keeping of Pigs, Poultry and Bees Bylaw.

Please contact Council's Customer Services Team for further information.

Yes, you can set up a payment arrangement. However, it must be paid in full by 31 July to avoid a 50% penalty fee.

To set up a payment arrangement you must come into the Levin office and complete a pre-payment application.

Council manages the control of pest animals on Council owned land and reserves, to help protect our native flora and fauna. On private land the responsibility of managing pest animals is the land owner's.

If you are unsure or need advice on how to handle an animal pest problem such as possums, rabbits and rodents, Horizons Regional Council have a useful Strategy Pest Fact Sheet or private landowners can use the services of a local animal pest control provider. If you identify an animal pest issue on Council owned land please contact Council to let us know on (06) 366 0999 or email enquiries@horowhenua.govt.nz

The Horowhenua SPCA is located at 169 Mako Mako Road, Levin. Please phone (06) 368 6910 or email enquiries@horowhenuaspca.org.nz

Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 10:00am to 3:00pm and Saturday to Sunday from 10:00am to 2:00pm, closed Public Holidays.

Dog registration fees vary depending on the dog's classification (e.g., neutered, entire, dangerous).

Horowhenua District Council's fees and charges for the 2024/2025 financial year, from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, are available below. These fees and charges were consulted on as part of the Long Term Plan 2024-2044 (LTP) and were adopted by Council on 12 June 2024.

All fees are stated as GST inclusive and are effective from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025. Council reserves the right to review any fees and charges at any time. Please check with Council for any updates.

Fees and Charges for 2025/2026

Fees and charges for the 2025/2026 financial year, from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, are also available below. These fees and charges were adopted by Council on 14 May  2025. They will be effective from 1 July 2025. 

Animal Control fees pay for:

• running the Animal Services Department;
• responding to complaints;
• education programmes and material;
• Pound facilities; and
• legal costs.

The normal hours of work for Animal Control are 7.30am to 4.00pm on Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays.
For all enquiries during these hours, please phone Council on (06) 366 0999.

Outside of our normal hours we provide an emergency after hours service. Please phone Horowhenua District Council on (06) 366 0999 for any urgent enquiries or requests for Animal Control assistance.

Please call Horizons Regional Council on 0508 446749. Horizons can assist with an expert to provide guidance on how to deal with magpies. Traps are also available if a magpie needs to be relocated.

Problems with bees or wasps (swarms and nests) on Private Land

Council does not deal with wasps, bumble bees or bees on private land. You can:

• contact a Pest Control Company (refer to Pest Control in the Manawatu Yellow Pages)
• if it is a beehive, you can contact the local bee keepers who may be able to rehome this invaluable species.
• carefully treat the wasp nest yourself by sprinkling an insecticide powder around the entrance to the nest at night-time. The wasps will carry the insecticide into the nest and kill all the wasps (do not shine a torch or other light on to the entrance, as this will cause the wasps to come out). Leave for a few days until there is no sign of wasps and then remove the nest if you wish.

If bees are on neighbouring properties, you need to speak to your neighbour first to resolve the issue. The next step is to call the Citizens Advice Bureau on (06) 368 9521.

Problems with bees or wasps (swarms and nests) on Council Owned Land

Council will remove nests from parks, reserves or other Council owned properties, ie street berms, waterways and pumping stations. If the swarm or nest is on a Council Reserve, street, waterway or waterway bank, please contact Council's Customer Service Team on (06) 366 0999 or email enquiries@horowhenua.govt.nz 

Problems with bees or wasps (swarms and nests) on Council Leased Land

If the land is leased from the Council it is the responsibility of the person leasing the land to deal with the swarm or nest.

Bees and beehives in an urban area

Bees and beehives may not be kept in an urban area without the permission of Council. Permission will only be given where it is believed that the keeping of bees is unlikely to become a nuisance or an annoyance to any person or potentially dangerous or harmful to health.

Conditions may be prescribed relating to the location and number of hives able to be kept on any premises or place.

Need further assistance? Please contact Council's Customer Service Team on (06) 366 0999 or email enquiries@horowhenua.govt.nz

For dead seals, whales, dolphins or other marine animals please contact the Department of Conservation (DOC) in the first instance by calling the DOC emergency hotline on 0800 DOCHOT (0800 362 468).

For all other animals, such as dead cattle or sheep, please contact Council's Customer Service Team.

Yes, you can get a refund of the unexpired portion of the registration fee.

Where the fee for the registration of a dog is paid and that dog dies, a refund will be made on request as follows:

• where a dog dies before the commencement of the year, the full fee will be refunded;
• where the dog dies during the year, one-twelfth of the annual fee for each complete month remaining in the registration year after the date of application for a refund will be refunded.