Looking after your dog

Lost and found dogs

If you've lost or found a dog, please get in touch with us. You can also contact the SPCA, register with Pets on the Net or check out the Trade Me website.

Dog boarding

We offer dog boarding services to all breeds at both animal service centres in Seaview and Rongotai for long or short term stays. Check our dog boarding fees

Each dog will have their own space and kennel and will be cared for by experienced staff. Please note that boarding spaces are limited.

We're not open on Sundays or public holidays: check our public holiday closures.

General information and requirements

• your dogs need to be registered with a territorial authority
• you need proof of double vaccination for kennel cough (intra nasal and injection)
• housing dogs together is possible depending on space
• we don't socialise dogs in groups, each dog is kept separate during their stay
• day boarding is available
• you're welcome to come view our premises

To make a booking at Seaview you can call 04 570 6666 or at Moa Point, you can call 04 388 8213 or complete our online Dog boarding booking form.

Euthanasia

For more information and advice on euthanasia, please get in touch with us.

Dog training

We run free classes from 3pm to 5pm and there is a maximum of 10 per class. Training equipment is available to purchase.

All dogs must be over six months old, be registered with Hutt City Council, vaccinated and microchipped. 

 The classes include:

• Leadership and pack mentality
• Affection
• Meet and greet visitors
• Access ways, doors and gates
• Structures and boundaries
• Food
• The walk
• Sit and stay recall exercises
• Jumping up
• Calming your dog
• Safety around children
• Obligations of dog owners
• Dog socialisation

For other training courses, you can also contact the Avalon Canine Obedience Club on 04 565 1258 or the Wainuiomata Allbreeds Canine Obedience Club on 04 564 5227.

Sign up now for a Community Dog Training course.

Exercising your dog

If you are taking your dog out in public, it’s your responsibility to clean up after it. You can pick up dog litter bags from vets, pet shops, and the animal services centre. You can put used litter bags in regular rubbish bins. 

If you are in a public place, your dog needs to be on a lead. If you are in a designated dog exercise area, your dog doesn’t need to be on a lead but it does need to be under control, and you are required to carry a leash.

Where can I exercise my dog?

Here is our interactive map of dog exercise areas.

These include:

• Ava Park
• Avalon Park (excluding boating pond)
• Bell Park
• Black Creek (west) Banks
• Burden Avenue Riverbank Reserve
• Days Bay Beach (on leash only, before 8am and after 9pm)
• Delaney Park
• Drainage Reserve between Mohaka Street and Momona Street
• Drainage Reserve between Parkway and Wise Park
• Drainage Reserve between Wainuiomata Road and Fraser Street
• Eastbourne (Muritai) Beach
• Frank Cameron Park
• Fraser Park
• Hine Road Reserve
• Hutt Recreation Ground
• Hutt River Bank (Eastern Bank - Stokes Valley to Strand Park)
• Hutt River Bank (Western Bank - Benmore Crescent south to Belmont Domain - excluding the Rhododendron Dell)
• Kamahi Park
• Karaka Park
• Kelson Sports Ground
• Kennedy Good Bridge south to Melling Bridge
• Leonard Wood Park
• McEwan Park
• Melling Bridge south to Ava Park
• Memorial and Sladden Parks
• Naenae Park
• North Park
• Pencarrow Hall Reserve
• Petone Beach west of Petone Wharf
• Petone Recreation Ground
• Richard Prouse Park
• Te Whiti Park
• Trafalgar Park
• Wainuiomata River Bank
• York Park

Trial exercise areas

Petone

Jackson Street: the road frontage of the commercial properties along Jackson St, between Cuba St and Hutt Road intersections. Please keep your dog leashed.

Eastbourne

• Rimu and Oroua Streets: the road frontage of the commerical properties there. Please keep your dog leashed.
• Marine Drive, Days Bay Beach: this exercise area is now on-leash only, before 9am and after 8pm.

Wainuiomata

Corner of Maire Street and Wainuiomata Road: the road frontage of the commercial properties on that corner (157 Wainuiomata Road). Please keep your dog leashed.

Where can’t I take my dog?

Unless your dog is a guide dog, hearing ear dog, companion dog or a working dog being used by the Police or a security company, you can't take your dog to:

• Public libraries
• Playgrounds
• Council swimming pools
• Kindergartens and play centres
• Marked sports fields
• Special events, where advertised

In addition, you can't take your dog to the following areas:

Eastbourne

• Days Bay Pumping Station and adjacent wildlife management reserve
• Beaches where there are signs prohibiting dogs between 9am-8pm during daylight savings. These include picnic and leisure areas of Point Howard, Sorrento Bay, Lowry Bay, York Bay, Mahina Bay, Days Bay, Rona Bay and Robinson Bay

Petone

• Petone Beach from Hikoikoi Reserve to Petone Wharf, between 9am-8pm during daylight savings. West of Petone Wharf is a Dog Exercise Area
• Percy's Scenic Reserve
• East section of McEwan park
• Memorial Park

Wainuiomata

• Queen Street, and Wainuiomata Road/Fitzherbert Road commercial areas adjacent to Queen Street
• Commercial areas of The Strand, Norfolk Street and Ruthven Road
• Turakirae Head Scenic Reserve
• Wainuiomata Recreational Area - keep your dogs on a leash at all times. NO dogs are allowed at the Lower Dam area.

Rimutaka Forest Park and Catchpool Valley

Picnic and camping areas signposted "Dogs Prohibited" and the Landcare Research Station

Lower Hutt

• Mitchell Park
• Speldhurst Park
• Fraser Park
• Avalon Park

Belmont Regional Park

Belmont Recreation Reserve (south end)

East Harbour Regional Park

• Pencarrow Coast Road and the lakes (Lake Kohangapiripiri and Lake Kohangatera)
• Burdan's Gate – there is a total ban on dogs, including leashed dogs during lambing season, which runs from 1 August to 30 October. At other times dogs must be strictly leashed

Safety around dogs

Adult education

Our education officers talk to groups such as Police, postal services and community groups on keeping safe when dogs are around. Organisations can book into our Workplace dog bite prevention programme online.

Dog safety for children

We also visit schools, playcentres, kindergartens and school holiday programmes to teach children about how to keep themselves safe around dogs. We can bring a dog into the classroom so that children can practise safe handling.

Book online now for our Dog safety education programme for pre school or primary school.