Dead dog penalty clause a fine mess, says kennel club

Dead dogs could attract a fine of up to $100 if local councils succeed in getting a new clause added to a bill on dog control laws.

In a move labelled "absurd" by NZ Kennel Club president Lesley Chalmers, Parliament's local government and environment select committee has recommended a clause be added to the Local Government Law Reform Bill, which comes up for its committee stage in the House this week.

The clause would allow councils to fine dog owners up to $100 for not letting them know a dog had died.

The bill has already sparked controversy over provisions to microchip all dogs.

Mrs Chalmers said the dead dog provision was "a nonsense".

"Councils have not needed to fine people for dead dogs in the past and do not need to start," she said. "Apparently it costs local councils a lot of money chasing up dead dogs. It's a load of rubbish."

The clause gives owners 28 days to comply, a ludicrous provision said Mrs Chalmers, given that ringing up the local council was likely to be the last thing on grieving owners' minds.

Councils had obviously asked for the clause to be included, she said, telling the committee that most people did notify councils of their dog's death in order to get a refund on registration fees.

But most dog owners had no idea they could get a refund on the fees.

"The fact is that owners are ignorant of existing provisions in the Dog Control Act because councils don't make them known," she said.

If so few people failed to notify councils, then it was ridiculous to pass legislation allowing councils to fine them.

Committee member and National MP John Carter said National did not support the clause.

After intense lobbying on the microchipping provisions, the Kennel Club felt it was going to have to start all over again on this latest clause, Mrs Chalmers said.

The committee's report has been tabled in Parliament and the bill will be voted on in stages, possibly beginning tomorrow.

* Dog-lovers' hopes that the universal microchipping of dogs might be ditched foundered yesterday when United Future said it would not change its position. MP Gordon Copeland acknowledged he may have given the impression the party was prepared to support a Green party move to restrict microchipping to dangerous and menacing dogs only.

But in fact the party would stick by its position that it wanted working farm dogs exempted from microchipping unless they were dangerous and menacing.

He said that other parties might change their positions before a vote was taken next week, but United Future would not.