FAQs

The bylaw is aimed at regulating nuisance caused by the keeping of domestic animals.

• all domestic animals (except dogs) with human keepers
• roosters and other crowing animals, as well as poultry
• pigs, goats and sheep
• bees
• rabbits.

The bylaw doesn't cover the following: 

• dogs (these are covered under a different Act)
• unowned animals
• pests (such as feral cats or wild rabbits)
• wild animals and native animals

As the bylaw does not cover unowned animals, it does not regulate pests (including pest or feral cats). Issues relating to pest cat management fall to regional councils within set areas, if set out in their pest management plans under the Biosecurity Act 1993. The Council is responsible for pests within reserves it controls but does not have any legal ability to manage pests generally. 

The bylaw does not include dogs, wild animals or native animals, as these are covered under separate legislation and/or policy documents. The Council's Dog Control Policy and Bylaw is covered separately under the Dog Control Act 1996. 

Wild and native animals are covered under the Wildlife Act 1953, and the Council does not have any powers under the  Wildlife Act 1953. 

The bylaw also does not regulate animal welfare, as animal welfare is covered under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and the Council does not have any powers to regulate animal welfare under that legislation. 

Animal owners are required to provide for an animal's welfare under the Animal Welfare Act 1999.  Animals in reserves are covered under the Council's Reserves Bylaw and Reserves Act 1977, so animals in reserves are not included in this bylaw.

The current bylaw is ineffective in preventing and managing nuisances, especially as Porirua gets busier and people are living closer together. A review is needed and will consider feedback from groups such as the SPCA and the Wellington Beekeepers’ Club, along with feedback from the community and successful strategies used by other councils.

Council relies on complaints from the public to enforce the bylaw. Officers will then investigate the complaint, and work with involved parties to resolve the nuisance. If collaboration fails, we may need to remove the animal, with court action being a last resort. 

The proposed update will let officers issue notices when there is enough evidence of a nuisance, making it faster to resolve an issue. 

Under this section, owners will need to continue to take all the necessary steps to prevent nuisances, avoid property damage, and contain their animals, especially those that wander (excluding bees and cats).

The new bylaw will include cats, and owners will be required to have them desexed, microchipped, and registered within one year of the regulations coming into effect.

• If the proposal is adopted in May 2025, Council will allow a year for people to comply with the new rules before they take effect in May 2026. 
• There will be fees for desexing, microchipping, and registering cats if they aren't already. 
• The Council can help connect residents to low-cost services like SPCA drives (link)
• The goal of the proposal is to encourage responsible ownership. Council will not be employing extra staff to help enforce this provision 

• The Council currently does not manage feral cats, however Greater Wellington Regional Council is addressing pest cats in some areas. 
• Our goal through the revised bylaw is to reduce unwanted cats and their potential to become feral. 
• Managing the issue of cats hunting wildlife needs cooperation from multiple organisations, efforts to educate the public and advocacy on a national level

• Beekeepers will no longer have to consult with neighbours or register with APINZ.  
• There will be limits on beehive numbers in city centres, industrial areas and suburban areas as follows: 
  1. No beehives on properties under 500m2. 
  2. Two beehives (maximum) on properties between 500m2 to 1000m2.
  3. Four beehives (maximum) on properties 1001m2 or greater. 
  4. Beekeepers will be required to provide a water source and manage their flight paths to minimise nuisance.  
• Affected hive owners will have one year from the date of adoption of the new bylaw to relocate their hives. 

• We are proposing a limit of 6 poultry per property in suburban areas only, except for roosters and crowing animals as these are already banned in city and suburban areas.
• The term poultry has a new definition and includes chickens, ducks and quails among others. 
• If this proposal is passed, animal owners will have a year from the date of enforcement to comply. 

• We are proposing the ban of a wider range of stock animals in suburban areas and city centres. 
• The word ‘stock’ is defined in the new bylaw to include goats, sheep and pigs among others.

We propose to maintain the ban on rabbits in the city centre. However, we will revise the regulations to ensure that homes within 100 meters of the city centre are not unintentionally restricted from keeping rabbits.