Nearly 20% of registered dog owners in Dunedin have taken the financial treat designed to entice good behaviour.
Of the 16,636 dogs registered with the Dunedin City Council, 3197 dog owners have selected owner status and get a dog registration discount.
A dog owner with selected owner status pays $50 for dog registration. Dog owners without it pay $90.
Animal control team leader Ros MacGill said the selected owner policy encouraged dog owners to comply with the dog control bylaw.
''It means we've got more dogs adequately fenced at all times. It is encouraging good dog owner behaviour.''
If the dog had not drawn a complaint or been impounded in the past two years, owners could apply, she said.
There is a $39 application fee, for an animal control officer to inspect the property.
The discount was for the dog's life, if it kept a reasonably clean council record.
Sue Duncan, of Dunedin, said the $90 registration she paid to register her 5-month-old miniature schnauzer Jazz was ''a bit steep''.
She would not qualify for selected owner status because her house had wheelchair access and was not fully fenced.
Her husband Jim Duncan used a wheelchair. She believed dog owners' good behaviour should be rewarded and those with ''roaming disobedient mongrels'' should face firmer penalties, Mrs Duncan said.
Selected owner criteria
A dog owner must apply for selected owner status before April 15 and must meet the following criteria. -
• You must be a registered dog owner with the Dunedin City Council for two years.
• Your dog must be registered under your, your spouse's or your partner's details.
• Your property must be adequately fenced to contain your dog at all times.
• You must fully understand and comply with the dog control bylaw.
• Your dog must not have been impounded by animal control in the past two years.
• Your dog must be a pet - it must not be classified as a working dog.
