A complaint about barking dogs in Middlemarch has reinforced the importance of dog-owner responsibility.
A Dunedin City Council senior animal control officer, Jim Pryde, confirmed the council was working with a Middlemarch owner of 20 working dogs, following a complaint about noise.
The man, who works on a farm, has 20 working dogs kennelled on his property and nearby residents have complained about their barking.
While dog owners in rural zoned areas were not required to have a permit, the council could force the dog owner to comply if complaints were received, he said.
The case served as a reminder to rural dog owners that "they were not completely immune from permits".
"We are working with him to resolve these issues," Mr Pryde said.
SPCA staff had checked the dogs and were satisfied they were in good condition and housed appropriately, he said.
Dog owners have until July 31 to register their dogs or face a penalty of $40 if they do not pay the $80 fee.
More than 14,000 dogs were registered by the council. The number of unregistered dogs was unknown.
Money from dog registrations went towards animal control and the upkeep of six council-administered dog parks.
