Aidan Ellims posed as the “best friend” of South Wairarapa’s dogs at last month’s SWDC meeting, as all those present but he voted for a five (5) percent rise in dog registration fees.
In the past four years, and including the latest hike, those fees have risen 23 percent (10 + 5 + 3 + 5%).
For what? “Official” annual colour-coded collar tags, bylaws, an award-winning dog pound and a couple of part-time “enforcement” officers.
A council official warned the meeting that it could forego the option of a fee rise if it wasn’t approved forthwith, as “a month’s notice” was legally required for the fees to rise for the coming year.
Councillor Ellims rightly complained there was “no information” on which to make a decision in the council’s Agenda paper: no number of dogs in the district; no split of urban and rural dogs, no facts on dangerous dogs, no details about complaints over dogs, how many were impounded last year, or even what other options had been explored by officials.
“I can’t see any justification for a 5%, 10% or a 15% increase,” he said, noting there was no mention of whether savings options had been explored. He reportedly added: “All of these facts should have been presented to councillors.”
No “impact statement” covering the effects of the fees hike on dog owners or on the size of the dog population was tabled.
The Star found some of the missing doggie facts:
- 3,328 dogs were registered in the district last year (2025);
- Rural dogs numbered approx 2,100; urban mutts approx 1,200;
- 2025’s dog complaints tallied 83 (2024 saw 152, 2023 some 139);
- dog attacks on humans 5;
- dog attacks on stock 7;
- wandering or fouling (not fowling) dogs 35;
- barking, noisy dogs 24.
- Councillor Ellims was the sole voice against the higher dog fees. Council CEO Janice Smith noted that co-operation with Carterton and Masterton over dog matters could be on the way. adding a joint approach had been adopted over the recent Easter holidays.
“We have already had in place an arrangement with Carterton where they stepped in.” (Stepped in? to what?)
Region-wide, Masterton recorded 910 dog complaint issues for most of 2025, with a registered dog population of 6,160.
Carterton recorded some 200 issues among their 2,753 registered mutts.
Observers have noted that with rates rises under scrutiny and public pressure, councils are moving consistently to hike “user pays” fees across the entire range of services they provide and doing so annually.
Notably, SWDC in recent years has repeatedly increased elder housing unit rents each year, despite many tenants likely being on fixed incomes.
