New regulations to curb life-chaining of dogs welcomed by SPCA 

Prolonged tethering is an issue SPCA Inspectors encounter daily, and while it’s difficult to quantify, it’s clear that thousands of dogs across Aotearoa are affected. The new regulations mark a significant step forward in protecting these dogs.

The new regulations state that a person must not tether a dog if it results in observable signs of suffering linked to the prolonged tethering. Certain categories of vulnerable dogs including puppies and pregnant dogs cannot be tethered at all apart from in a few exceptional cases.

“These regulations send a loud message that long-term chaining of dogs is not acceptable in our society,” says Dr Alison Vaughan, SPCA’s Scientific Officer.

“This is a long-fought and hard-won victory for dogs across Aotearoa. These new regulations are the outcome of years of hard work by SPCA’s advocacy function. Too many dogs have suffered, chained for months, years, or even their whole lives. This is simply the right thing to do. Dogs deserve to be part of the family, not chained up and forgotten.”

The change is a direct outcome of SPCA’s work behind the scenes with MPI and the Minister, in combination with the work of other animal rescues and powerful backing from our supporters who wrote to the Minister as part of the ‘Break the Chain’ campaign. It shows that with persistence and public backing we can make meaningful change to protect animals.

For the first time, Animal Welfare Inspectors will have a specific enforcement tool to address these situations.

“We know these changes won’t solve every case overnight, but it’s a step forward, and one that will permit our Inspectors to act in situations where they couldn’t before,” says Dr Vaughan. “But our work is far from finished. We remain committed to advocating for regulations to address prolonged confinement (caging).”

SPCA extends its sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this outcome, including:

• The more than 20,000 people who supported the 2022 ‘Break the Chain’ campaign
• The 15,000+ who signed the 2023 ‘Demand the Change’ letter
• All those who made submissions during MPI’s public consultation process
• Chained Dog Awareness Trust and HUHA for their tireless work in this space
• Minister Hoggard, whose support helped bring these regulations across the line

This regulation fills a critical gap between the Animal Welfare Act and the Code of Welfare, enabling more practical and effective enforcement to prevent animal suffering.

See MPI's website for details of the new regulations.