Explanatory note: This part of the Bylaw regulates the keeping of animals within the District so that they do not create a danger, a nuisance or health hazard. These activities may also be subject to controls under the District Plan. There are specific controls on pig, poultry and bee keeping, goats, sheep and cats. There are controls on the housing of animals and the noise from animals.
5.1 Specific definitions
These definitions apply specifically to this part of this Bylaw in addition to the general definitions in Part 1: General Provisions:
Poultry or other birds - Includes geese, ducks, pigeons, turkeys, domestic fowls of all descriptions and fancy or game birds kept in aviaries.
Urban zones - Includes any area within the residential and business zones of the district plan.
Stock - Includes cattle, deer, donkeys, horses, sheep, goats and pigs and includes stock intended for human consumption.
5.2 Keeping of animals
5.2.1 You must not:
(a) Keep an animal which is likely to be a nuisance or a threat to public health or safety.
(b) Keep an animal in conditions which are likely to be a nuisance or a threat to public health or safety.
(c) House any animal on a site without complying with any relevant statute, regulation or permission required from the council under this bylaw.
(d) Keep or allow any animal in a public place in a manner which is or is likely to be a nuisance or a threat to public health or safety.
(e) Allow caged animals/pets such as rabbits, ferrets and rodents to stray outside the property where the animal is kept.
5.3 Pig keeping
5.3.1 You must not keep pigs without our written consent.
(a) We may decline consent if we consider the keeping of pigs is likely to be a nuisance, offensive or harmful to public health or safety.
(b) We may grant permission subject to any conditions including such numbers, free range limits and siting of pig housing or enclosures as may be determined by the authorised officer.
(c) It is not permitted to site a building housing pigs, pig swill, or manure within 20 metres of a boundary or closer than 50 metres from any dwelling or premises involved in the storage or sale of food for human consumption.
Note: This does not apply to production or factory farms consented under the provisions of the district plan.
5.4 Boarding for dogs and cats to be on approved site
You must not establish or maintain a boarding or breeding kennel for dogs or cats without our written consent.
Note: District Plan rules will apply for the setup of boarding kennels or catteries.
5.5 Cattle, horses and other stock
You must not keep cattle or horses or other stock in an urban area without our written consent.
5.6 Poultry and bird keeping
5.6.1 You must not keep more than 6 poultry or 12 other birds in an urban area without our written consent. This clause does not apply to finches, canaries or budgies provided they do not cause a nuisance.
(i) We may decline permission if we consider the keeping of poultry or other birds is likely to be a nuisance or harmful to public health or safety.
(ii) We may grant permission subject to such numbers and conditions as may be determined by an authorised officer.
5.6.2 You must not site a building housing poultry or other birds, closer than 10 metres from any neighbouring house or 2 metres from any boundary, without our written consent.
5.6.3 You must enclose every poultry run or aviary in such a way as to prevent the birds causing a nuisance or wandering onto neighbouring properties.
5.6.4 You must ensure that every poultry run or aviary is regularly cleaned and maintained in good repair.
5.6.5 You must not keep roosters in an urban area without our written consent.
5.6.6 You must not keep or regularly feed wild birds that may create noise or health nuisance conditions (the regular feeding of seagulls, feral pigeons and certain other bird species may give rise to such conditions).
Nothing in this bylaw shall:
- Prevent you from keeping poultry in an auction room or premises used for the killing and dressing of poultry for not more than 48 hours for the purpose of sale or consumption or,
- Prevent you from keeping of birds in a pet shop for the purpose of sale.
5.7 Bee keeping
5.7.1 Every person keeping bees or causing or permitting bees to be kept on private or public property must ensure that:
(i) The bees do not create nor are likely to create a nuisance to any person.
(ii) The bees are not kept in such conditions or sited in such a way as to create or be likely to create a nuisance to any person.
(iii) That where there is more than one beehive kept on private property in an urban area our written consent has been obtained.
(iv) That where one or more beehives are kept on public land our written consent has been obtained.
5.8 Goats and sheep
5.8.1 You must not keep any goat or sheep in an urban area without our written consent. We may grant the consent subject to any terms and conditions or decline consent if the keeping of the animal is considered a potential nuisance or a threat to public health or safety.
5.9 Wild animals
You must not keep any wild animal without our written consent. We may impose terms and conditions on the consent in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry or decline the consent if the keeping of the animal is considered to be a potential nuisance or a threat to public health or safety.
5.10 Keeping of cats
5.10.1 You must not keep more than five cats which are older than 3 months in an urban area without our written consent.
5.11 What conditions we can impose
5.11.1 We may charge you an annual consent fee for any permission issued under this part of the Bylaw.
5.11.2 We may impose any terms and conditions on any consent we issue under this part of the Bylaw which we think are necessary to ensure the animal is effectively controlled to prevent nuisance, or to protect, promote or maintain public health or safety.
5.11.3 We may decline consent if keeping the animal is a nuisance or harmful to public health or safety.
5.11.4 We may revoke our consent if:
(i) We determine that the keeping of the animal is a nuisance or is likely to be harmful to public health or safety.
(ii) You are not complying with conditions of the consent.
5.11.5 Any person who has an application declined or revoked by an authorised officer may apply to us in writing for a review of the decision and we may review it accordingly.