New Zealand Legislation: Acts

19 Power of constable, dog control officer, or dog ranger to request information about owner

• (1) A constable, dog control officer, or dog ranger may, for the purposes of this Act, request the following persons to state his or her full name, date of birth, address, telephone contact number, and place of work (if applicable):

  • (a) any person appearing to be in charge of a dog; or

  • (b) any person appearing to be the occupier of any land or premises on which a dog for the time being is being kept.

  (1A) If a person referred to in subsection (1)(a) or (b) claims not to be the owner of the dog, the person must state the name, address, and place of work of the owner of the dog (if known).

  (2) Every person commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 who, without reasonable excuse, fails or refuses to comply with a lawful request under subsection (1), or wilfully provides false information in response to a request to provide the information.

  (3) Any constable, dog control officer, or dog ranger who—

  • (a) Has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence against subsection (2) of this section has been committed by any person; and

  • (b) Has warned that person of the provisions of this subsection; and

  • (c) Has reasonable grounds to believe that a further offence against subsection (2) of this section has been committed by that person subsequent to the warning; and

  • (d) Has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence against any other section of this Act, or against any bylaw authorised by this Act, has been committed by the owner of the dog referred to in subsection (1) of this section,—

  may seize and impound the dog and, in the case of a constable, may arrest that person without a warrant.

  Compare: 1982 No 42 s 18(a)

  The heading to section 18 was amended, as from 1 December 2003, by section 9(1) Dog Control Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 119) by inserting the words “about owner”..

  Subsection (1) was substituted, as from 1 December 2003, by section 9(2) Dog Control Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 119).

  Subsection (1A) was inserted, as from 1 December 2003, by section 9(2) Dog Control Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 119).

  Subsection (2) was substituted, as from 1 December 2003, by section 9(2) Dog Control Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 119).