Thread: menacing dog classification

Originally Posted by HG Man

My grandfather had some pretty good advice about dogs and chickens. When they're a pup, put them in with the hens. The hens will give them a bit of a hiding and the dog will avoid them forever after.

Its worked for every dog I've had.

Now, as to legal type advice, you look at the Dog Control Act 1996. S33B https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/...LM375105.html\

You've got 2 weeks to object to the dog being classified. The Council has to consider your objection, and these things:

(a) the evidence which formed the basis for the classification - so the testimony from the chook owner
(b)any steps taken by the owner to prevent any threat to the safety of persons or animals - what training and other stuff have you done to address the issue
(c)the matters relied on in support of the objection - So you'd need a letter or similar for any aversion training you'd done, previous history
(d)any other relevant matters - the only relevant matters are objective facts. Dog killed a chicken, what facts do you have in your favour? Whether its a really good dog is irrelevant.

Next step, look at the local laws, I'm presuming you are in Waitaki so https://www.waitaki.govt.nz/files/as...bylaw-2014.pdf

2.2.2 Dog owners must ensure at all times that their dog is under effective control, and when their dog is on their property, it is either under the effective control of a person, or is confined to ensure that it cannot freely leave the property

So as to part (D) above, if you have put in some more fencing, a spring on the gate, an electronic fence, a chain on a wire, that is a relevant matter.

If you need a hand writing up your objection letter or anything, sing out, happy to give you a steer.

The above advice is the best advice you are going to get. Straight out of the Act. All councils have to abide by the act and the act trumps any local by laws.
At the end of the day the dog wasn't under proper control and the Act doesn't differentiate between you dog killing a chicken or a horse being killed by your dog.