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Last modified: 20 May 2021 9:31am

A miniature schnauzer wearing the blue One TagPlastic dog tags are set to become a thing of the past in Selwyn, following the introduction of a New Zealand first metal One Tag for this year’s dog registrations.

Selwyn District Council is joining Wellington City Council and Hutt City Council as the first Councils in New Zealand to introduce the metal tags designed to last a dog’s lifetime.

The One Tag initiative is being introduced with the aim of reducing the amount of plastic waste going to the district’s landfills.

Dog owners will still need to pay their annual registration fees, but they can keep using the same tag as long as they live in their Council’s jurisdiction. Dog registration can be paid online once a dog is registered in the Selwyn system, saving on paper waste.

The One Tag is lightweight yet durable and comes in two round sizes – 25mm and 35mm. The Selwyn tags will be blue and the back of the tag is blank so owners can get it engraved with their dog’s name or their contact details if they wish at their own cost.

There are over 15,000 registered dogs in Selwyn, with around 70 new dogs coming into the district each month. The One Tag will support dog owners and the environment, says Council Group Manager Environmental and Regulatory Services Tim Harris.

“We’re always looking for new ways to make things easier for our dog owners and to do better as kaitiaki of our environment here in Selwyn. Selwyn people love their dogs; we have one of the highest ownerships of dogs in the country and as one of the fastest growing districts in the country our dog numbers are growing all the time. The One Tag will save our dog owners the hassle of getting a new tag each year and prevent 15,000 tags and growing being thrown away each year.”

Under the Dog Control Act 1996, all dogs are legally required to be registered by the age of three months. Registration falls due on 1 July of each year, and owners of unregistered dogs may be charged an infringement fee of $300.

Animal Control officers will be able to access registration records remotely when they are out on patrol to check whether a dog is currently registered.

More information on the One Tag initiative and this year’s dog registration can be found on our One Tag page.