Bob Kerridge: Minister Hide barking up right tree with review of dog laws

Bob Kerridge. Photo / Brett Phibbs

When I invited Rodney Hide to address our 20th NZ Companion Animal Conference on dog control in his capacity as the Minister of Local Government, I knew we were likely to be enlightened by a politician who is both knowledgeable and has no problem in speaking his mind.

No one was disappointed.

Mr Hide outlined his plan for a "first principles" review of the dog laws unfettered by instances of savage attacks and the resultant public outcry that were responsible for some earlier "muddled" legislation, a point applauded by a Herald editorial.

Equally the minister's focus is clearly set on owner responsibility and their right to enjoy dog ownership so long as they, or their dogs, do not "significantly interfere with the rights of others".

However, it was in the less formal part of the proceedings that Mr Hide not only displayed his knowledge of the perceived flaws in the existing dog control legislation, but also his desire to take the appropriate action to rectify them, and of significance his remedies reflected views I have expressed often in the past.

He was, quite correctly, critical of the local authorities, particularly those whose bylaws and enforcement measures are completely over the top and draconian.

By empowering local authorities to concoct their own dog control bylaws, there is a total lack of cohesion or fairness.

You can reside in one part of Auckland and pay $60 to register your dog, or live in another part of town and pay $120. When it comes to enforcement, horror stories abound.

It's a fundamental principle that the law should never be inconsistent if it is to be effective.

In the case of dogs, the inconsistency is rampant throughout the country.

The minister was also concerned about microchipping - not the principle of it as an ideal tool for reuniting dogs with their owners, but of the behind-the-scenes dog database which is simply not doing the job of retrieval because of its lack of accessibility to those who need it.

There is a simple commercial remedy to that on which the minister will soon be fully enlightened.

Of greatest comfort to me is Mr Hide's view of focusing the responsibilities of dog ownership on the owners, without unduly impacting on their enjoyment of ownership, while directly targeting those who are irresponsible.

Here, following the clear support of the conference delegates, the minister is open-minded to the possibility of licensing owners rather than their dogs.

Hallelujah!

The soon to be released Code of Welfare for Dogs, providing guidelines as to the minimum standards required of their owners, will provide a sound foundation as an essential tool in educating those with dogs as to their responsibilities.

By incorporating this into the licensing of owners, there will be a built-in guarantee that everyone will be aware of their obligations to their dogs and to the community at large.

Owner licensing is a natural progression from that, ensuring well-informed and responsible owners will earn their privilege to enjoy their dogs under reasonable conditions of freedom, while those who mistreat or abuse that privilege would lose their right to ownership.

A nationally managed licensing system will succeed in attending to Mr Hide's stated principles of establishing firm but fair guidelines and placing those responsibilities firmly on the shoulders of dog owners throughout the country.

Although he confessed to never having owned a dog, it is clear that Mr Hide has a clear vision of their needs, needs that will soon be his responsibility, not only as the Minister of Local Government undertaking his "first principles" review, but also as a dog owner when "the new love of his life" (as he was happy to share with conference delegates) "gets her way with the introduction of a dog into their lives".

* Bob Kerridge is executive director of SPCA Auckland.