Round-of-a-paws: The Dog Control Policy & Bylaw was adopted by the Council at its meeting on 11 December

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the consultation process. Your feedback played a vital role in shaping the final version of the policy & bylaw, ensuring it reflects the needs and concerns of our community.

The new bylaw will come into effect from 31 March 2025.

What we heard from you

We received 645 submissions during the consultation period, covering a wide range of issues such as:

• Opposition to dog restrictions

• Socio-emotional benefits of dog walking

• Conservation concerns

• Community division regarding dog control regulations

• Dog and environmental advocates are not mutually exclusive

• Clarity of regulations

• Education

• Health and safety concerns

• Dog park requests

• Enforcement and registration fees

• Dog doo facilities

• General support for proposed content

• Calls for further restrictions

• Summer months definition

We also received location specific feedback. For more detail on what we heard about each location refer to the deliberations report.

Your feedback made a difference

The Council carefully considered these submissions, and some of the feedback directly influenced the final bylaw. These are some of the changes made to the draft as a result of submissions:

• Tomatea Reserve was changed from a prohibited area to a controlled exercise area to enable access through to Pakawau Beach. The beach also had its controlled exercise area extended up as far as Tomatea Point;

• The boat ramp and car park were removed from the Ruataniwha Inlet prohibited areas, and a clause added to enable dogs to be in the inlet if contained on a vessel;

• Pariwhakaoho River Mouth was changed from a prohibited area to a seasonally restricted area;

• Motupipi Reserve Beachfront was changed from an on leash area to a controlled exercise area;

• Pōhara Beach from eastern camp boundary to Selwyn Street Reserve was changed from a seasonally prohibited area to a seasonal leash control area;

• Tokongawha Reserve was removed from the Policy & Bylaw

• Little Kaiteriteri, Dummy Bay and Stephens Bay were changed from leash control areas to seasonal/time restricted areas;

• Hoddy Estuary Park was changed from prohibited to prohibited on the vegetated margins of the Inlet and leash control for the remainder of the Park;

• The Railway Reserve section of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail was changed from a leash control area to a controlled exercise area;

• A 6km long section of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail in Tapawera was changed from a prohibited area to a leash control area.