Having a pet

Having a pet at your Kāinga Ora home

We all want to be the best pet owner we can be. These forms can help with that, and provide important information about keeping animals at your home.

• Having a pet in your home factsheet [PDF, 423 KB]
• Being a great pet owner [PDF, 130 KB]

What is considered a pet?

• Dogs
• Cats
• Livestock (cows, sheep, horse, pigs, goats) that are kept as pets
• Birds, fish and small animals

Are there any conditions to having a pet?

There are laws that apply to everyone in New Zealand who keeps pets. Your local council will have by-laws, and if you live in a complex or apartment there may be specific rules for keeping pets (including cats). We’re always happy to help you find out what rules apply for you.

If you want a pet that is a cat, dog or you live in a rural location and want a livestock animal

Call us on 0800 801 601 so we can chat and find out more about your pet.

Why call?

It’s important that we know if you already have or want to get a dog, cat or livestock animal. It’s part of your tenancy agreement with us and the information we collect can help to:

• make sure you don’t get any fines. We will check your local council bylaws or if you live in a apartment or complex any body corporate rules for keeping pets
• to let our staff and contractors know when they visit you
• make sure your tenancy agreement is up to date. Some older agreements don’t allow dogs, so we can update this for you to make sure you’re not breaching your agreement.

If your pet is a dog or a livestock animal, you may also be asked to sign a Pet Information form, and agree to be a great pet owner.

Saying yes

If everything is okay, we will let you know you can have a pet at your Kāinga Ora home. All you need to do is enjoy their company, look after them, and make sure they don’t cause any issues to your neighbours and in your community.

If you do not hear from us, call our Customer Support Centre on 0800 801 601 for an update.

If we need to say no

Sometimes we may not be able to allow pets in your home. If that happens, we will let you know and you can always ask us to review our decision if you think it is unfair.

Making it safe for when we visit

If you have a dog, we’ll ask you to secure it for any visits from Kāinga Ora team members or contractors. To secure your dog during a visit, you can:

• keep it in your vehicle and lock the doors. Make sure you wind the window down enough so your dog has fresh air, and leave a bowl of water
• keep your dog on a leash and under the control of a responsible person.
• leash it with something sturdy, that won’t loosen or break. A fence post, dog run or a tree trunk could work, but door knobs, stakes in the ground or things that can be moved are unsuitable.
• keep it in a lockable room/garage/shed and secure your dog with a lead to a piece of furniture that will not move. Remember to make sure it has a water bowl, and let your kids know so they do not unlock the door and take the dog off the lead.
• take your dog for a walk on a leash while our staff are at your home.

Securing your dog factsheet [PDF, 478 KB]

Why do I need to do this?

Our dogs want to protect us and our families. That means some can be very territorial and may not like it when our staff and contractors visit. To keep our people safe, they won’t come onto any property or into a home if a dog is not secure. Keeping your dog secure while we visit makes it easier for us to ensure your home stays warm, dry and safe.