Thames-Coromandel Releases 2025/26 Dog Control Report

Thames-Coromandel District Council has published its Annual Dog Control Report for the 2025/26 financial year, fulfilling its statutory reporting obligations under Section 10A of the Dog Control Act 1996.

The annual report outlines the Council's dog control administration, policy enforcement, and community service activities across the Coromandel Peninsula for the period ending 30 June 2026.

Registration and district figures

As of 30 June 2026, the Thames-Coromandel District recorded 5,038 registered dogs, representing a 2.6% decrease compared to 5,173 registered dogs in the previous financial year. Council recorded nine disqualified owners (three newly disqualified during the year) and eight probationary owners (four newly classified).

A total of 12 registered dogs in the district are classified as dangerous, down from 16 in the previous year; one dog was newly classified during 2025/26 by owner agreement under Section 31(1)(c) of the Act. Menacing dog classifications increased to 50 (up from 44), with 11 dogs newly classified for aggressive behaviour under Section 33A(1)(b)(i) and four classified dogs transferring into the district.

Complaints, service requests, and enforcement

Council received 1,020 dog-related requests for service during 2025/26, marking a 19% reduction from 1,253 in 2024/25. Reported incidents included:

• Roaming and barking: Compliance officers responded to 309 calls regarding loose or uncontrolled dogs (down from 403) and 228 barking dog complaints (down from 267).
• Aggression and attacks: Officers logged 61 reports of aggressive or rushing dogs, 45 attacks on other animals (down from 78), and 30 attacks on people (down from 34).
• Infringements: Council issued 130 infringement notices, a 41% decrease from 219 in 2024/25. The most frequent offences were failure to register a dog (58 notices), failure to keep a dog under control under Section 53(1) (35 notices), and failure to keep a dog confined or controlled under Section 52A (29 notices).
• Prosecutions: One prosecution was filed with the District Court and remains awaiting trial.

Wildlife protection and education initiatives

The report highlighted proactive initiatives, including the annual Lead the Way campaign, a six-week education campaign delivered across November and December that promotes responsible dog ownership during the busy summer period. Clause 10 of the Dog Control Bylaw 2023 allows the Chief Executive to establish temporary area restrictions to protect wildlife; each year before the dotterel nesting season, Council works with the Department of Conservation to identify areas that need additional restrictions.

Dog control policies, fees, and exercise areas vary across New Zealand territorial authorities. For local rules and owner responsibilities, see our checklist for NZ council dog registration and our comprehensive guide to dog registration in NZ.

Sources

• https://www.tcdc.govt.nz/files/assets/public/v/1/services/dogs/thames-coromandel-district-council-dog-control-report-2025-2026.pdf