Find out about how dog control and where you can take your dog in the Queenstown Lakes District.

The Council provides the community with an animal control service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

Contact a dog control officer
•  Queenstown - phone Matthew Omond on 03 450 0300.
•  Wanaka - phone Daryl Taylor on 03 443 0006.

After hours please call 03 441 0499 Queenstown or 03 443 0024 Wanaka

Our animal control officers are required to carry warrants which act as identification and also outline the powers delegated to them.  These warrant cards are always available to be viewed on request. 

What are the designated dog exercise areas?

>> Find out where you are allowed to exercise your dog 

When can a dog be impounded?
Any dog found in a public place and not under control of its owner, or is not registered, can be impounded. 

There are some situations where an animal control officer can enter a private property and remove a dog, for example where an officer has good cause to inspect an offence against the Dog Control Act.

The Council encourages dog owners to keep good control of their beloved pets at all times and respect those in the community that do not own dogs.

What about dangerous dogs?
Never approach a dog if you are concerned for your safety, contact animal control immediately.  

Our animal control officers are all trained to handle dangerous dogs and are required to carry specialised equipment with them at all times, including bite sticks, leads, loading ramps, collars and lasso poles. 

In this district, animal control officers do not carry firearms and will call for police assistance if needed. 

When can a dog be destroyed?
A dog will not be destroyed until such point that an officer has witnessed it become a threat to public safety, it has been mistreated to a point that it is unfit for life or it has been abandoned and unable to be re-homed.  The Courts can also order the destruction of a dog for the same reasons.