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If your dog is over the age of three months it must be registered.
You can register your dog or transfer a dog registration from another council online, by mail or in person. You must be the person who is in charge of the dog, and be over the age of 16.
To qualify for the reduced De-sexed Pet fee (Class 3 & 17) you'll need to supply a desexing certificate or documentation from your vet.
If your dog hasn't been desexed yet, you'll need to pay the full fee. Once your dog has been desexed and you've provided the information, you'll be able to pay the reduced fee for the following renewal year.
The Dog Control Act requires all new dogs to be microchipped within two months of being registered with Council. Some exemptions apply for working dogs that are mainly used for driving or herding stock, find out more on our Dog Owners Information page.
Please let us know when your dog has been microchipped and provide a copy of your microchip certificate with your name and address (or owner and dog numbers if known) to dogs@horowhenua.govt.nz, or bring it into one of our Council Offices.
You might be entitled to a discount of $10 per dog if you own four or more stock dogs. If you already own three or more stock dogs, please contact Council on 06 366 0999 or email us at dogs@horowhenua.govt.nz to discuss your dog registration rather than using our online registration form.
If you want to apply for Superannuitant Owner class you'll need to register your dog in person. You'll also need to bring in your Gold Card to confirm your superannuitant eligibility and a copy of your dog's desexing certificate or documentation.
If you want to become a Selected Owner you'll need to visit us in person to go through this process. If you already have Selected Owner status and are wanting to register a new dog, you'll also need to visit us in person as our online form currently doesn't support this option. Applications for Selected Owner policy must be submitted with Council before 1 May to be eligible for the registration year beginning 1 July. Applications received after this date will be eligible for Selected Owner policy rates the following year.
Dog registration fees are for a period of one year, starting on 1 July. Your fee may depend on when you're registering within the financial year of 1 July through to 30 June and your dog's details.
Dog registration fees and fee classes can be viewed on our Animal Control Fees & Charges page.
If someone is caught with an unregistered dog there's an instant infringement fee issued, plus a penalty fee to register the dog. The owner of the dog has 28 day to pay the infringement. A reminder notice is then sent and a further 28 days is given. If no payment is made, the infringement is then sent to the Courts for collection, and it becomes a fine. A lodgement fee is added to the fine and the whole amount is then due to be paid to the Courts.
You need to provide the renewal form which should have all current details listed (phone, email address dog details etc)
If you've misplaced your renewal form we may be able to provide a copy.
If you don’t have a dog renewal form because it's a new dog you'll need to complete a new registration form - this can be done online and at our Council offices.
Make sure to choose whether you’d like a strip or round tag.
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:
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.
Dog registration fees vary depending on the dog's classification (e.g., neutered, entire, dangerous).
Horowhenua District Council's fees and charges for the 2026/2027 financial year, adopted by Council on 27 May 2026 are available below.
All fees are stated as GST inclusive and are effective from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Council reserves the right to review any fees and charges at any time. Please check with Council for any updates.
Animal Control fees pay for:
Dog Impounding
Stock Impounding (any four-legged, hoofed animal)
We’ve made this change to make things easier for dog owners and better for the environment. It helps to:
Please provide as much detail as you can, so we can fix any issues you are having.
Thank you for your feedback, it helps us design a better website for you. Please call us any time on 06 366 0999 to report something that is causing an immediate risk to the safety of a person, people, or property.