With just a week to go, around half of the district’s 7000 dogs have been registered and the Council is giving the rest a friendly bark - fetch your form and get cracking!

Compliance and Development Group Manager Ian Hyde said it wasn’t unusual to see a scramble in the final week but cautioned dog owners against leaving it too late.

“We want people to avoid any late penalties, so if your registration form has been sitting on the kitchen bench or stuck to the fridge, now is the time to jump online and get it sorted.”

Mr Hyde said dog owners were increasingly enjoying the convenience of online registration, with around 56 per cent of registrations processed through the Council’s website so far.

“Of course, our customer service team is ready to help anyone who doesn’t have internet access or prefers to complete their registration in-person. They can also help if your dog needs a replacement metal tag.”

Legally, all dogs over the age of three months need to be registered by 31 July. Registrations can be completed online at ashburtondc.govt.nz/dogs