Dog Control Bylaw and Dog Control Policy
Consultation has concluded
This consultation has now closed and the updated Bylaw and Policy has been approved by Council.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their feedback and help shape these changes. Lower Hutt is a city of dog lovers, and we worked hard to consider and incorporate all the feedback we received.
Read the updated Dog Control Bylaw: here
Read the updated Dog Control Policy: here
See a map of current dog exercise and prohibition areas: here
Summary of changes:
From 1 August 2025:
A licence is required for commercial dog walkers. (You can find out how to apply here[link])
There is a limit of four dogs under one person’s control in public spaces (excluding commercial dog walkers with demonstrated experience).
Seasonal beach restrictions are now aligned – instead of referring to ‘daylights savings’, which can cause confusion, we will always refer to specific dates (i.e. 1 December to 31 March).
We’re improving off-lead dog access in the following areas:
York Park
Richard Prouse Park (Eastern section, when not in use for sports).
Drainage reserve between Konini and Parkway.
Bell Park (outside the turf area).
Waddington Canal, Naenae.
Western Hutt riverbank north of Owen St, Belmont.
Eastern Hutt riverbank between Ava Railway Bridge and Croft Grove.
We’re making sure prohibition and on-lead areas work for our community:
Dogs are now prohibited from one section of Sunset Point in Seaview (see maps).
Dogs must be on-lead at Honiana Te Puni Reserve, including in Korokoro Stream.
Wainuiomata prohibition areas have been removed.
No change: we proposed prohibiting dogs from Avalon Park, but heard this wasn’t a good option, so dogs will continue to have on-lead access to specific paths (see maps).
To keep our dogs, people, and nature safe, please remember:
Dogs must be on-lead in all public places unless they are specified as a Dog Exercise Areas.
Dogs are required to be on lead and under control on all shared paths such as the river stopbanks, Te Ara Tupua (path from Petone to Melling), and Tupua Horo Nuku (Eastern Bays shared path).
Dogs are prohibited from marked sports fields at all times.
What the Policy and Bylaw do
The Policy sets out why the Council is required to control dogs in Hutt City (i.e. to promote positive dog ownership and to minimise nuisance to the community from dogs). For more information, you can read Council’s current Dog Control Policy.
The Bylaw manages the control, ownership, licensing, prohibition, impounding, and keeping dogs in Lower Hutt. The Bylaw also lists Hutt City’s dog exercise and prohibition areas. For more information, you can read Council’s current Dog Control Bylaw.
The aim of the Policy and the Bylaw is to balance the needs of those people who own dogs, and the needs of the general public. This allows us to be dog friendly while limiting concerning dog behaviour.
The Policy and Bylaw are authorised through the Dog Control Act.