Building Requirements
Any building for housing animals must be of sound
construction and vermin-proof. You may need a
building consent which you must apply for before
you start construction.
If the construction of your animal’s home is going to
affect your neighbours, you should check with them
and get their approval before you begin.
Enforcement and Penalties
If the Council receives a complaint about the keeping
of animals in an urban area, an authorised Council
Officer will visit the property to investigate. If an
offensive nuisance or conditions injurious to public
health are identified, the officer may issue a notice
requiring the nuisance to be stopped. This notice
will be issued to the owner of the animal or the land
owner on which the nuisance is happening.
When a nuisance poses an immediate public health
risk, action under the Health Act 1956 or Resource
Management Act 1991 to abate the nuisance without
notice may be carried out by authorised Council staff.
Keeping Animals
and Birds in
Urban Areas
Anyone who commits an offence under the Animal
Bylaw 2014 may receive a fine of up to $20,000
under the Local Government Act 2002.
Costs associated with the immediate abatement
without notice made under the Health Act or
Resource Management Act 1991 may be charged
back onto the animal owner or landlord where the
nuisance has occurred.
16151
Manawatu District Council
Private Bag 10 001, Feilding 4743
T (06) 323 0000 F (06) 323 0822
E [email protected]
www.mdc.govt.nz
Some animals and birds are not suitable
for urban areas because they make too
much noise, they can smell bad or they
may attract pests.
The Manawatu District Council’s Animal
bylaw 2014 helps us maintain public
health and safety and reduce nuisance
effects by controlling animals (other
than dogs) and birds kept in urban areas.
I want to keep poultry …
The Animal Bylaw allows for the keeping of up to 12
poultry in the urban areas, excluding roosters.
Roosters are strictly only permitted in Rural Areas of the
district, this is due to the nuisance effects generated by
the crowing of roosters in intensely developed areas.
If you wish to keep more than 12 head of poultry on a
property in an urban area you must apply in writing to
Council for a permit.
Nuisances caused by dogs are covered
by the Dog Control Bylaw – more
information on this can be found on
MDC’s website.
I want to have bee hives …
If you live in an urban area and have
animals, it is your responsibility to make
sure they are not causing a nuisance to
anyone else.
As a part of the application process, applicants need
to provide a copy of their registration of hives with the
National Bee Keepers Association. This information
helps Council to ensure appropriate advice is being
sought for the management of the bees and hive
activities which can create nuisance effects.
What is a nuisance?
There are all sorts of nuisance situations that occur. In
general, anything that could be offensive, cause a public
health risk or attract vermin is considered a nuisance.
Some examples include (but are not limited to…):
• Stock piles of manure or other refuse;
• A poorly cleaned cage, enclosure or building;
• Animal carcasses not appropriately disposed of;
• Excessive noise such as crowing roosters.
www.mdc.govt.nz
The Animal Bylaw 2014 requires a permit to keep bees
in the urban area. This allows Council to keep a record
of the hives locations throughout the district, and where
any processing of honey may be occurring.
I want to have a pet pig …
Pigs may be kept on urban properties where a permit
has been issued by Council. Pigs are not entirely
expected in all urban environments but it is recognised
many parts of the urban areas of the district fall into
lifestyle categories.
Any person seeking to keep a pig should also check the
Manawatu District Plan for rules and conditions around
pig sty and wallows. A resource consent may still be
required, even if an urban permit has been granted.
Can I keep stock on my
residential property?
Stock is defined by MDC’s Explanatory Bylaw and
includes:
• Cattle beast, sheep, donkey or miniature pony.
These animals must be contained inside a property’s
boundaries and not cause a nuisance. This includes
ensuring the animal is contained away from roads,
vehicle movements, and their waste material is
removed to prevent odour and the attraction of vermin.
Cats
The Animal Bylaw 2014 outlines a person may keep up
to four cats over the age of six months on any rateable
property.
Where there is more than one dwelling-house on each
rateable property, each dwelling is permitted to have
one domestic cat.
These provisions seek to minimise the potential
nuisance that may result from having many cats in one
area.