City unleashes dog fee hikes | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Whenuapai resident Rachel Butler is taking action. Last week she got a tip-off from an Auckland Council employee warning dog registration fees are set to increase markedly in July, in some cases by more than 100 per cent.

The fee increases (see below) are listed in the revenue and financing policy chapter (Chapter 3, page 144) of the Auckland Council Long Term Plan, out for public submissions until March 23.

As the responsible owner of two dogs, Ms Butler was shocked to learn of proposed fee hikes and set about alerting her contacts.

This week a fellow dog-owner set up the "Stand Up Auckland Dog Owners" Facebook site in an effort to raise awareness of the fee increase and encourage action. Within three days it had almost 800 members.

Ms Butler says Aucklanders have been given insufficient warning of the changes.

"It's going to be posted onto the Auckland Council website for one month but not many people go to the site and look for this kind of stuff. This is such a huge change, people need to know about it."

She fears increased fees could have a flow-on effect and financial hardship could force some owners to give up their dogs.

"It will make it harder to re-home rescued or pound dogs as people will be put off by the costs. People who are normally law-abiding may look for ways to get around it and that may lead to dogs not getting exercised and socialised in accordance with basicanimal welfare principles."

She says the increase will penalise responsible owners who register their dogs and offers no incentive for holding an owner licence.

Under the current fee structure the council charges lower registration fees for those with a licence.

This free licence involves a one-off test on responsible dog ownership and may include a property inspection.

Ms Butler runs a dog training school and says responsible dog-owners are getting the rough end of the stick from the council.

"Good dog-owners should be acknowledged for what they are doing and not punished.

"This is going to lead to dog control officers spending their time as debt collectors instead of getting out there and monitoring animal abuse."

Auckland Councillor Cathy Casey opposed the increase and feels it is dishonest of the council to hide such a significant change in the Long Term Plan. "It's on page 139 of the third volume - who's going to flick through to find that?

"We should give dog-owners a fair go in regards to cost. It looks like it's just revenue-gathering.

"We wouldn't do this to anyone else. Imagine if we did this for parking charges?"

Well known as a dog-owner, the councillor believes such a hike will lead to more dogs being abandoned as owners can't afford to keep them registered.

She says the timing couldn't be worse as the council's dog policy is currently out for submission but the fee increases are not part of the policy.

"It's confusing, it's upsetting and people are really angry."

Submissions on the Long Term Plan are open from February 24-March 24. See the Auckland Council website for ways to have your say.
See the specific part about dog fee rises here.

WHAT YOU WILL PAY
Auckland Council's proposed new dog registration fees set to come into effect on July 1:
If paid before August 1, 2012:
Standard fee: $160, up from
$104
Desexed dog: $120, up from $75
Dog owner licence with desexed dog: $120, up from $47
Dog owner licence with unfixed dog: $160, up from $53
Superannuitant with community services card: $50, up from $47
Working farm dog: $50, up from $23
Paid after August 1:
Standard, desexed and unfixed dogs: another $50
Superannuitants and farm dogs: another $25

Do you think the proposed increase in dog registration costs is fair? Leave a comment below or on our facebook page.