Dog registrations in the Tasman District have increased, with 105 more dogs registered compared with last year.
But it may not mean more four-legged friends, with the increase paired with a sharp rise in the number of infringements issued, mainly for failing to register a dog.
There are now 12,527 registered dogs in the district, compared with 12,422 the previous year.
But Tasman District Council dished out 139 infringement notices during the six months from 1 October 2023 and 31 March 2024 compared with just 35 during the same time last year.
Of these, 102 were for failing to register a dog, 23 for failing to keep a dog controlled or contained, three for failing to comply with a classification and two for failure or refusal to comply with a bylaw.
No infringements were issued for failing to microchip, compared with four the previous year. TDC say targeted enforcement has kept the numbers of unregistered dogs low.
The number of dangerous and menacing dogs has also slightly increased. There are now 36 dogs classed as ‘dangerous’ and 91 classed as ‘menacing’.
A report presented to TDC’s Environment and Regulatory Committee last week said that the increase may be a combination of the increase in the number of dogs to the region and those dogs potentially being closer together in urban environments.
More than 200 barking complaints were received during the six month period but a “significant portion” of those came from a relatively small number of complainants, the report said.
