Auckland’s population growth in people is being matched by the growth in dog registrations.
There are now nearly 111,000 registered dogs in Auckland region. That means that housing developments are adjusting to the demands of pet-owners looking for homes that accommodate their furry family.
Auckland central real estate agent Ross Hawkins says a pet-friendly home is a common ask from buyers now, and can often be a deal breaker if the property won’t work for buyers’ animals.
“A lot of people have pets and they are quite conscious of areas that their pets can go to and are safe.”
Start your property search
He says owners want to ensure the pet is having a good time while they are at work all day, so they are looking for a spacious courtyard and room to build a doghouse in the porch.
An example is the new Kerepeti apartments build in Auckland’s Hobsonville Point that is being marketed as pet friendly.
Sales manager Geoff Polglase says it doesn’t cost extra to have an animal in one of 89 freehold unit titles and to not to allow it would be a “missed opportunity”.
“There’s a phenomenal number of dogs there and they are all under control, looked after and don’t cause any problems.”
Pet owners are required to sign papers agreeing to covering any damage caused by a pet in common areas when purchasing an apartment, which Polglase says is “very reasonable”.
“You see a lot of people coming out of apartment blocks, dogs do their business and they go back inside. But it depends on how they’re trained.”
The whole Hobsonville Point area is marketed as family-friendly and dog-friendly with wide footpaths and green areas for walks.
“It’s fairly staunchly an on-leash suburb and it’s covered in the bylaw, but they have at least one off-leash area.”
In another part of Hobsonville, Fletcher Living’s house consultant Christina Tubman says buyers do not bring up dogs into the conversations right away.
She finds that secure fencing is typically a major ask from dog owners.
“They don’t want their dog to escape. Cat and dog owners also want to make sure there's a puppy door.”
Having a park nearby to walk the dog in daily is a bonus selling point, Tubman says.
But that is not always the case. Safari Group director Robert Neil says when developing apartments in Christchurch, Auckland and Queenstown, the company does not think about pet friendly spaces.
“We don’t have a certain pet-friendly component and it’s never been a consideration,” he says.
In fact, he says, an apartment complex development would normally have a body corporate refusing pets into the building.
Auckland’s real estate agent Michael Boulgaris agrees. He has three dogs and says if he were to look for an apartment his chances of getting one would be minimal.
“Unfortunately, a lot of body corporates in New Zealand say no pets, sometimes even goldfish. It is paramount to have a pet-friendly home.”
Boulgaris thinks that rules on pets in properties have not eased up, and that this country is also behind on pet policies in shops and public spaces also.
“The reality is that it’s not the pets –it is the owner’s responsibility to look after the dog. If you are going to leave it in the flat all day barking and crying of course there’s going to be an issue with the neighbour. “
