With all the outdoor space, parks, walking trails and great weather (most of the time), Auckland is a great city for pets. Many Aucklanders own cats and dogs and proudly take them everywhere – walking along the waterfront in the Eastern Suburbs, swimming in the ocean on the North Shore. In fact, the suburb of Ponsonby is so popular with dog owners, many cafes actually have water bowls on hand for their four-legged patrons. Dog owners are expected to clean up after their pets and usually walk with a plastic bag tied to the dog’s leash.
Dogs in Auckland need to be microchipped so that they can be tracked by the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) if they are lost. Microchipping costs $70, including lifetime registration on the Australasian database. If you move, you simply contact the database and change your details. Discounts are given if microchipping is done at the time of vaccination and if a pet is not registered.
Auckland has plenty of veterinarians, groomers, pet supply stores, kennels and catteries and even professional dog walkers to attend to your pet’s needs. These services are moderately priced, but surgeries and care for diseases like cancer can be expensive. Like many advanced countries, New Zealand now offers pet insurance for as little as $100 a year for basic surgical coverage.
Auckland also has some of those ‘out there’ facilities for pet owners.
Doggy Day Care is starting to take off in New Zealand though it can be rather pricey. If you want to give your dog some social fun time whilst you’re at work, these are a great option and also improve your dog’s socialisation skills. Many of the doggy daycare facilities also offer training courses. A few of the better doggy daycare places in Auckland are:
DogHQ
Website: http://www.doghq.co.nz
Location: 5 Goldfield, Glenfield, North Shore, Auckland
Contact : 09 44 22 365
The newest kid on the block, DogHQ offers a free introduction day of doggy daycare to see if your dog likes them, supervised playtime and nap time for all the dogs attending, plus ongoing training courses for nutrition, puppy development, lead skills and more.
Barkley Manor
Website: http://www.barkleymanor.co.nz/
Location: 398 Great North Road, Auckland Central
Contact: 0800 Barkley (0800 2275539)
Barkley Manor has been around for quite a while now, and they offer daycare, grooming and training.
