Auckland dog walkers face $80,000 consent bills and potential $10 million fines

Summarised by Centrist

Auckland Council is requiring professional dog walkers operating on private rural land to obtain resource consents, with one business facing costs of up to $80,000 and operators warned of prosecution carrying potential fines of up to $10 million.

According to Stuff, six businesses have received abatement notices, with another three under investigation following council complaints about operations without consent.

Vince Nancarrow, who runs Becky’s Dog Walking on a 4.5-hectare Taupaki property, said obtaining consent would cost between $75,000 and $80,000.

"We've applied for consent and by the time we've finished doing everything they need it will cost us $75,000 to $80,000," he said.

Janelle Broadhurst, who has operated Doggone Attitude on six hectares in Massey for six years, expects to pay $30,000.

"I've never had any complaints of any kind. I don't think making us get a resource consent is really necessary," she said.

Another operator reported paying more than $15,000, including over $4,000 simply to lodge the application and the cost of an acoustic report.

"I think it's utter bullshit. I think it's absolutely ridiculous," she said.

Operators who fail to comply face fines of up to $4,000 or prosecution under the Resource Management Act, which carries a maximum fine of $10 million on conviction.

The crackdown follows Auckland Council's decision earlier this year to limit certified dog walkers to 12 dogs in public places, prompting some businesses to use private land instead.

Council compliance team leader Grant Schmidt said nine complaints about businesses operating without consent had prompted enforcement action.

One operator, who said she had never received a complaint, described being reduced to tears by the prospect of consent costs.

"We're a small business and getting a consent would be a massive cost for us," she said.

Read more at Stuff

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