New dog walking rules from 1 August 2025

Brian from Mount Roskill

New dog rules are being introduced to ensure everyone can safely enjoy the city’s outdoor spaces—people, pets, and wildlife alike. Following strong community feedback, updates approved by the Governing Body for regional rules and local boards for local rules include revised on-leash, off-leash, and dog-free areas in parks across Auckland, along with new guidelines on how many dogs can be walked at once.
From 1 August 2025, new rules on where you can walk your dog on-leash and off-leash at regional parks, local parks and beaches will take effect. You can find the list of changes below, and our where you can walk your dog webpage will be updated with the new dog access rules from 1 August.
From 1 January 2026, dog owners will be able to walk up to four dogs (two off-leash), while registered walkers can walk up to 12 dogs under clear conditions. These changes aim to strike a fair balance between the needs of dog lovers and other users of our shared spaces.
Why are the rules changing?
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The rules are part of Auckland’s Dog Policy and Bylaw. Councillor Josephine Bartley is chair of Auckland Council’s Regulatory and Safety Committee. She says regularly reviewing the rules helps to keep them clear and up to date so everyone can enjoy our shared spaces safely.
“We’ve listened to feedback from Aucklanders and looked to strike a fair balance – both on the number of dogs that can be walked at once, and how we manage dog access across our regional parks.
“We know how much Aucklanders love getting out with their dogs, particularly in our beautiful regional parks. Our dog rules aim to carefully accommodate these needs as well as those of others who also want to use shared outdoor spaces safely and freely.
“We also need to take care of vulnerable, native wildlife. Dogs are clearly an important part of our lives – by the end of 2024, more than 135,000 dogs were registered in Tāmaki Makaurau. But our regional parks are also home to native species like the northern dotterel and critically endangered fairy tern, and unfortunately, dogs do pose a threat to these birds and their habitats.
“Thank you to everyone who took part in this consultation. We received a huge amount of feedback and it’s very encouraging to see so many people help shape the decisions that affect our communities. Striking a balance with these rules helps everyone to enjoy our shared outdoor spaces together,” she says.
The changes at regional parks made by the Governing Body and changes to local parks made by Local Boards will come into effect from 1 August 2025, and the new limit on the number of dogs that can be walked at once comes into effect from 1 January 2026.
Bylaw pup-dates: What dog owners need to know
Where are dog walking rules changing?
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From 1 August 2025, new rules on where you can walk your dog on-leash and off-leash at regional parks, local parks and beaches will take effect.
Dog access rules at the following regional parks will be changed: Auckland Botanic Gardens, Hunua Ranges, Long Bay, Mahurangi, Pākiri, Shakespear, Tāpapakanga, Waitawa and Whakanewha Regional Parks
Dog access rules at the following local parks will be changed:
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Gooseberry Flat, Pah Beach and Sandhills Reserve in the Aotea/Great Barrier Local Board area
the status designated dog exercise areas (various) and Kawakawa Bay Beach in the Franklin Local Board area
near Howick Historical Village at Lloyd Elsmore Park in the Howick Local Board area
Sulphur Beach Reserve, Gold Hole Reserve, Kauri Glen Reserve, Kauri Park, Kauri Point Domain, Muriel Fisher Reserve, Soldiers Bay, Søren G Christensen Reserve, 54 Tonar Street and Te Ara Awataha Greenway in the Kaipātiki Local Board area
Freeland Reserve, Monte Cecilia Park (implementation delayed until further notice), Smallfield Reserve, Walmsley Park and Underwood Park in the Puketāpapa Local Board area
Parry Kauri Park, Snells Beach, Vera Reserve Baddeleys Road, Baddeleys Creek Reserve and Pigeon Place Accessway and Wonderview Road Esplanade in the Rodney Local Board area
Rosedale Park in the Upper Harbour Local Board area
Big Oneroa Beach and Blackpool Beach in the Waiheke Local Board area.
No changes to dog access rules will be made at the following local parks (the proposed changes were rejected in response to public feedback):
Big Manly Beach and Tindalls Beach (Hibiscus and Bays Local Board)
Leigh Scenic Reserve, Soldiers Bay Reserve (Kaipātiki Local Board)
Madills Farm Recreation Reserve and Glover Park (Ōrākei Local Board)
John Moore Reserve (Puketāpapa Local Board)
Ontetangi Beach (Waiheke Island Local board).
The decision on dog access at Te Ārai Regional Park is scheduled to be made on 28 August, and the implementation of the decision to change the rules at Monte Cecilia Park has been delayed until further notice.
Can I let my dog off-leash at any of these parks?
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While the leash is being tightened in some parks, a number of the parks that have been reviewed have large areas where you can exercise your pup off-leash as long as they are under control. You can find out more in the Policy on Dogs.
There are plenty of great places to walk your dog in Auckland. To find out more here or at the Auckland Council website.
How many dogs can I walk at once?
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Following public consultation, Auckland Council is introducing new rules about how many dogs can be walked at once. They reflect the ability of qualified dog walkers to walk a higher number of dogs:
Qualified dog walkers can walk up to 12 dogs at once, on or off-leash, as long as they are kept under control. To walk up to 12 dogs, qualified dog walkers must register with the council and follow the conditions attached to their registration.
Other dog owners can walk a maximum of four dogs at once, with two off-leash, as long as they are kept under control.
The new rules will be introduced on 1 January 2026, to give time for the council to set the conditions and for industry to prepare and adjust to the new requirements. More information on the registration process and conditions will be published on the council’s website later this year.
Councillor Bartley says the new system aims to support all dog walkers to use Auckland’s public spaces responsibly. 
“We have listened to public feedback and recognise, for example, that commercial dog walking is a growing industry with many walkers regularly using Auckland’s public spaces.
“To support this to be done in a safe and responsible way, we are introducing a registration system. This will allow qualified dog walkers to walk a higher number of dogs, as long as they keep them under control and stick to the conditions, so we can all enjoy our public places,” she says.
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