If you want to report a wandering animal, your first point of contact will depend on what sort of animal it is.
DCC Animal Services staff mainly deal with wandering dogs and stock (such as a horse, sheep, pig or goat), so if it fits into that category please give us a call on 477 4000. There is a 24/7 service for reporting such issues.
Phoning will provide the fastest response.
If it is some other sort of animal (e.g. a cat, a guinea pig or even a bird) you are concerned about, please contact the SPCA on 473 8252
If it is a situation where an animal poses a danger to the public, for example it is running loose on a busy road, please call the Police.
What we need to know
If you are contacting us about a stray dog or wandering stock, you can help us out by having a few details, such as what sort of animal it is, where it is and if possible any other information that will make it easier to identify, such as:
- approximate size
- colour
- breed (in the case of a dog)
- sex
- any distinguishing features
We can also use this information to put the animal on our lost and found list.
If it is a dog with a registration tag, we can let the owner know and arrange for it to be collected. Around 91% of Dunedin’s registered dogs are also microchipped, which helps us to identify owners. If we can't contact them, we can collect the dog and keep it until the owner is found.
If you notice ongoing issues with a wandering dog in your neighbourhood, get in touch with DCC’s Animal Services staff on 477 4000 so we can help.