New Zealand Dog News

Reviewing the dog news in New Zealand with editors comments. Someone needs to keep reviewing how our dogs are doing in society.

June 26, 2006

Working dog definition leads to confusion

With the amendment passed to exempt working dogs from the Government's microchipping law, confusion is mounting on the definition of a working dog. Every dog that is loved and a companion in a home is working... therapy dogs they are called. A study found that animals can lower the blood pressure of people, and decrease stress levels. I call my dog a "kush ball". of course, this only applies to those dogs that sleep near the owners, not the tie 'em outside and 'shut up' dogs. Not their fault they bark all night... I'd be a bit stressed too, and lonely.

National Party agriculture spokesman David Carter, whose amendment it was, said it was passed with the definition of a working dog as stated in section 2 of The Dog Control Act 1996.
However, Southland District Council group manager of regulatory services Lindsay McKenzie said that he had received an e-mail from the Internal Affairs Department stating that the working dogs as defined in the act were in fact not the dogs being exempt from the law.

"The amendments relate to the exception for microchipping of working dogs kept solely or principally for the purposes of herding and driving stock," Mr McKenzie said.

"If that's correct then the other dogs as defined in the Dog Control Act are not exempt from microchipping."

Mr Carter said there were "different views as to the interpretation of a working dog".

Originally, Mr McKenzie's view was that the Government had empowered the council to classify any dog or class of dog to be considered a working dog, by the means of a resolution as stated in the act. Oh boy, here goes dog owners to court!!

An example of this would be that local authorities would have the power to classify a pet dog as a working dog but it was unknown whether this would still exempt the animal from the microchipping law, Mr McKenzie said.

When it came to enforcing the law, it was likely the high priority for the Southland District Council would be to microchip dogs classified as dangerous or menacing. If ya can catch them!

However, Mr McKenzie believed the present laws in controlling dangerous and menacing dogs were sufficient for council. So why microchip?! I heard the debate on TV when Parliament was debating. WHAT A FARCE! all it was was name calling and using doggie words in a silly way. And we pay them for what?! debate issues ?? ya gotta be joking!

"Microchipping was a knee-jerk reaction to problems in Auckland," he said.

Mr McKenzie said he would be presenting a report to a council meeting in July for council staff to consider the implications of the amendment and have a better understanding of it. Mr Carter said because it was up to local authorities to decide what a working dog was, "the Government's got themselves into one hell of a mess".

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