Keeping of animals and bees in Porirua

Domestic animals are a source of joy and companionship for many of our residents, but if left unchecked they can also cause nuisance and discord among neighbours. The bylaw aims to set clear limits (with exemptions) to reduce the chances of nuisance happening and streamline enforcement.

Have a domestic animal? Read on below for information on our official rules and some information about the best ways to reduce the chances of your animals causing nuisance.
You can read the bylaw here

All owners of animals are required to keep their animals in a way that:

• does not cause nuisance to any other person
• does not cause a risk to public health and safety
• does not damage another person’s property.

All animals except cats and bees must be confined to their owners’ property.

Nuisance is defined as:

"a person, animal, thing or circumstance causing substantial and unreasonable interference with the peace, comfort or convenience of another person. The term ‘substantial and unreasonable interference’ means that a reasonable person would find the interference objectionable or intolerable under the circumstances".

Whether an animal is causing nuisance depends on the circumstances. For example, a rooster crowing is to be expected in suburban homes that border rural zones, but is not expected in medium or high-density suburban areas. Examples of nuisance can include excessive noises and odour associated with the keeping of animals, such as excessive faeces, vermin from dirty and mismanaged enclosures, animal hoarding and excessive amounts of bee excrement on windows.

If you are seeking more detailed advice on keeping specific animals, the Ministry for Primary Industries has detailed guidance available through its Codes of Animal Welfare at this link.

Official requirements

Under the bylaw, all cats over 16 weeks must be desexed, microchipped and registered with the NZ Companion Animals Register (NZCAR). There are some exceptions:

• If the cat is kept for breeding and the keeper is a registered breeder with a locally recognised registering body
• If a vet certifies undergoing the procedure will adversely affect the health and welfare of the animal.

Registration with the NZCAR is $15 per animal (as at July 2025), and updates are free. It is important to note Council does not benefit financially from registration with the NZCAR.

This provision is intended to be an educational measure and a statement of what is expected when owning a cat.

Your vet can desex and microchip. The SPCA periodically run low-cost desexing and registration drives – check here for more information.

Other useful information about cats

Roaming cats

While it is common in our culture to allow cats to roam, it is evident that roaming cats are highly destructive to the environment. Council recommend keeping cats indoors, within cat-proof fencing, or in enclosed catios to protect New Zealand’s unique wildlife. If you are unable to keep your cats from roaming, we recommend using anti-hunting reflective scrunchie collars.

Limiting cat numbers

There is currently no limit on cats in the bylaw. However, the SPCA recommend keeping a maximum of 3 cats per household.

Rehoming cats

Sometimes life circumstances mean having to make the difficult decision to give up your cat. If you are in this unfortunate position, find someone or a shelter who can look after/rehome/take ownership of the cat. Please do not release your cat into the wild – this is bad for the animal’s welfare and causes damage to the environment. In addition, abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

Breeding cats

If you wish to breed cats, you may need a resource consent. Check out our page on resource consents for more information.

Pest cats

Note that Council does not currently engage in pest control of pest cats.

Greater Wellington’s Regional Pest Management Plan defines a pest cat as:

(i) Not microchipped in an area where microchipping is compulsory, and free-living, unowned and unsocialised, and has limited or no relationship with or dependence on humans, or

(ii) Not microchipped, or registered on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register, and is free-living, unowned and unsocialised, and has limited or no relationship with or dependence on humans.

It is an offence to harbour pest cats on private and public property without the occupier’s permission under the Biosecurity Act and Greater Wellington’s Regional Pest Management Plan (see pages 68 and 69).

Official requirements

If keeping beehives in suburban and city areas, no person may have more than 4 beehives without a permit from the Council. There is no limit for rural areas.

Although the bylaw’s limit is 4, a smaller number of hives (usually 2) may be more appropriate where there is a small section or where there are neighbours within very close proximity.

Please consider the below when looking to have up to 4 hives on your property:

• How big the property is
• How close the neighbours are
• Previous complaints about your bees
• How many neighbours border your property

Other useful information about bees

Legal obligations

Please note that all beekeepers are legally required to register their beehives with the American Foulbrood Management Agency (www.afb.org.nz).

Good beekeeping guidelines

Council recommends letting your neighbours know before you plan to keep beehives on your property. Forming a positive relationship with your neighbours will help diffuse any issues from bee nuisance if they arise down the line.

Careful consideration of hive placement is important. When foraging, bees can travel up to 5km from their hive. Bees establish a single flight path and drop wax and waste along their way. While a bee’s flight path cannot be completely controlled, beekeepers can take active steps to help reduce the chances of nuisance complaints.

Avoid placing hives close to:

• a neighbours’ house
• vegetable gardens
• clotheslines
• children’s play areas
• areas frequently used by people e.g walkways, playgrounds
• driveways
• road side/footpaths

Bees will fly at head height for some distance from their hives unless their surrounding environment directs their flight path upwards. In residential areas the hive should be behind a 2m-high fence barrier. You can use shrubs, trees, a wall, hedges or fences to help direct flight paths.

We recommend keeping a reliable source of water on your property to stop bees from congregating near neighbours’ pools.

If bees become aggressive, the colony should be re-queened or removed.

Needing beekeeping advice or having issues with swarms?

Contact the Wellington Beekeepers Association if you would like advice on beekeeping matters or are experiencing issues with swarming.

Official requirements

If keeping poultry in suburban areas, no person may have more than 10 poultry without a permit from Council. There is no limit for rural areas.

Crowing animals, such as roosters and peacocks, are banned in suburban and city areas without a permit. All poultry are banned from the Porirua city centre.

Other useful information

Advice on housing chickens:

• The location of chicken coops can be very important for minimising potential nuisance to neighbours. When locating a chicken coop, owners should consider how this may affect their neighbours and locate the coop in a place that is least likely to cause a nuisance. Placing it right up against neighbouring properties or near outdoor living areas has the potential to cause a nuisance, as hens can be noisy when they lay and there is a risk of chicken coops becoming smelly in the summer months
• The owner of any chicken must regularly clean their chicken coop to avoid offensive smells, overflow and vermin.

No person may have stock in suburban areas without a permit from Council. There is no limit for rural areas.

Rabbits are banned in the Porirua CBD, but are otherwise unrestricted. There is no limit on rabbit or guinea pig numbers. However, they must be kept confined to your property and must not cause nuisance or be kept in conditions that cause nuisance.