Animal control
Council's Animal Control unit provides services and information regarding dog control and wandering stock. Dog control services include lost and found dogs, registration information, help with problem dogs and advice to dog owners.
The Council delivers its animal control service through a contractor, Environmental Inspections Limited. The contractor provides a 24/7 service for picking up stray dogs, dealing with dog attacks and wandering stock.
The Animal Control Unit has a close working relationship with key stakeholders in the community such as the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPCA), local veterinarians and also has a close working relationship with their counterpart officers working at Tasman District Council.
Contact details for all animal control matters
Phone 03 546 0200 (24/7 service).
Wandering stock
Council is responsible for control of wandering stock, which includes horses, asses, mules, cattle, deer, alpacas and small animals, sheep, goats, pigs. It does NOT include wild animals such as wild (feral) goats and pigs.
Cats
In a residential area, Council has no rules that apply nor assistance that can be given for the trapping or elimination of feral cats in residential areas. Nelson SPCA will no longer hire out traps for cats as they are an animal welfare organisation rather than a pest-control organisation. Care should be taken before approaching a feral cat in a residential area both for personal safety and due to the risk of mistaking a resident’s domestic cat for a feral cat.
If you live in a rural area with high natural biodiversity values, Tasman District Council Biosecurity Staff (as the Management Agency for the Tasman-Nelson Pest Management Strategy Strategy) will respond with advice and in some situations will loan live capture traps. Council staff will not take any responsibility for managing cats caught in any loaned trap, that is the responsibility of the person who set the trap.
Dogs