British dog owners settling in NZ are often surprised at the restrictions on dogs in New Zealand. Expats arrive in NZ expecting it to be a great country for dogs – lots of countryside and wide open spaces for starters, but the reality is that attitudes to dogs are restrictive.

 

Dogs are not allowed in most national parks. Which is understandable, as they have been responsible for countless attacks on native birds. But there are also quite widespread restrictions on taking them on beaches, and in parks and other public areas. Some towns even have a total ban on dogs in public areas, so you can’t, for example pop to the shops with your pooch and tie him up outside whilst you buy a newspaper.

It’ll be interesting to see whether these restrictions are extended in the light of recent high profile dog attacks. There were over 11,000 dog attacks last year in New Zealand and of these over 2,400 were on children under the age of 14. Currently, there’s much hand wringing going on about the dangerous dog problem. Solutions being bandied about include increasing the list of banned breeds and the muzzling of all dogs in public.

It’s not that different to the debate that’s currently going on in the UK about dog attacks. The difference is that here in New Zealand anti-dog sentiments are more widespread. There’s no easy solution, but the debate provokes passionate feelings on both sides of the fence.

Preparation for anyone buying property in New Zealand should include planning for the transfer of your pounds into New Zealand dollars. For information on how to do this safely and save money when doing so – giving you more to spend on shopping – speak to currency exchange specialist Smart Currency Exchange.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in New Zealand, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘New Zealand Property Buying Guide’