Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is seeking New Zealanders’ views on proposed new rules to stop dogs being shut away in cages, crates and kennels for extremely long periods, Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says.
“Dogs need exercise, company and room to move. When a dog is locked in a crate or kennel day after day with no break, it misses out on all of that, and it suffers,” Mr Hoggard says.
“Those dogs can become anxious, fearful and aggressive. That’s bad for the dog, and it can put families, the public and other animals at risk too.”
SPCA inspectors deal with prolonged confinement regularly and received more than 400 complaints about it in 2024/25 alone.
“Last year we worked with SPCA to ban prolonged tethering, and we’ve worked with them again on these proposals. We want to give inspectors a quicker way to act when they find a dog that is clearly suffering.”
Under the proposal, Animal Welfare Inspectors could issue a $500 infringement notice to the owner or person in charge of a dog when they find two or more signs of prolonged confinement. The proposed signs include built-up faeces or urine, a badly damaged enclosure, injuries from the enclosure, muscle wastage, overgrown nails, fly bite dermatitis and excessive frustration.
“I want to be really clear for farmers and other dog owners. Kennelling your dogs at night, or between jobs on the farm, is normal and responsible, and these proposals don’t change that. Neither does crating a dog for toilet training, travel, vet care or a house move. If your dog’s get regular exercise and company, and have room to stand, lie down, stretch out and turn around, you have nothing to worry about.
“This is about the small minority of owners who leave their dogs shut away day after day, to the point where the dog shows clear signs of harm.”
Mr Hoggard says the proposals are open for feedback and nothing has been decided.
“We want to hear whether the proposed signs are clear, whether $500 is the right fine, and whether the rules properly protect normal, short-term confinement. We’re also asking for views on dog breeding, to help reduce the number of dangerous and roaming dogs, and on commercial services like day care, boarding kennels, walkers and groomers.”
Consultation opens on 12 October and closes at 5pm on 23 November 2026. Details are at Have your say here.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/10/08/government-moves-to-end-prolonged-confinement-of-dogs/