Dog Control Policy and By-Law to be considered

Published on 11 December 2024

It’s an early present to dog owners in the Waitaki District as the Dog Control Policy and By-Law is considered by the full Waitaki District Council next week.

Keen eyed readers of our media release may recall we issued a similar update ahead of November’s meeting, however we needed a little extra time to ensure the policy language was fit for the future and a ten-year policy.

However, the fundamental changes that are being proposed following a yearlong community engagement process have not been altered.

Councillors will consider the following:

• A six-month trial of allowing dogs on-lead in the Oamaru CBD and North End shops, with usual conditions that dogs must be under continuous control and tethered securely to not cause a nuisance to any person.

• A six-month trial of allowing dogs on-lead on Harbour Street between sunrise and sunset, with dogs prohibited outside of those times.

• That dogs on-lead can be allowed on sports-ground where pitches are not physically marked out, but that dogs are prohibited from marked pitches.

• A nominated amount from each dog registration (excluding working dog registration) contribute to a fund for desexing dogs in the Waitaki District if there is an identified need such as financial hardship.

• The maximum number of dogs owned by those with a permit is 5. This excludes rural properties where working dogs are kept for herding or driving stock.

• The Alps to Ocean trail between Saleyards Road and Cormacks Kia Ora Road be a dogs on-lead area.

• The Kakanui River Mouth, from the south end of Cobblestone Road to the river mouth will be a dog prohibited area.

However it is also recommended that the following does not change:

• Harbour Terrace at Kakanui will remain a dog on-lead area.

• Beach Road from North Otago Golf Course to Thousand Acre Road will not be an off-lead exercise area.

• Dogs will not be allowed within 10 metres of children’s play equipment except when passing on lead under continuous control.

Councillors will consider these options and recommendations at Tuesday’s meeting, and make any variations as part of their final decisions.