Here comes the NDD

As of July 1, 2006, a National Dog Database will be established. ALL dog-owners will have their details and their dog's details recorded henceforth. The information about the dog will include its date of birth and its breed. The Dept of Internal Affairs have collaborated with the NZ kennel Asoociation to compile an approved list of dog breeds and colours that all registered dogs must comply with for NDD requirements. Mixed, mongrel or unknown breed types can no longer be accepted.

OK. I'll be fabricating a lot of details to satisfy these control freaks. Many dog-owners would have no idea when their dog was born or who or what its mummy and daddy were.

And colour? Here is a anticipated question and the appropriate answer;

"My dog has been registered as a 'Chocolate' coloured dog for the last few years, why can't you just leave my dog as this colour?"

To ensure all Councils around New Zealand have a consistent group of colours by which to register dogs, its important that all existing records are updated to reflect the legislative requirements as defined by the NZ Kennel Club and the Department of Internal Affairs.

If you would like your dog's colour considered for addition to the approved list, then you will need to sumit a request to the Department of Internal Affairs Governing group.

Information about how to do this will be available at registration time (around June 2006).

Say what???

As for microchipping, This includes all dogs registered for the first time on or after 1 July 2006, all dogs classified as dangerous and menacing on or after 1 December 2003, and dogs that are impounded for a second time, prior to their release from the dog shelter.

The micro-chip number will be .... loaded onto the NDD with all the dog’s other details.

Is it beyond the realms of possibility that a microchipped dangerous dog could be mistakenly loaded against the wrong owner? What happens on the day that dog attacks somebody?

Well the chip didn't prevent the attack and now the wrong person is going to be held responsible. Of course, that person is going to deny the ownership. But will he be believed? You see bad dog owners are cunning types. For instance they turn up at the dogpound pretending to look for a dog to adopt when they are really only after their own mongrel. (This is why any genuine adopter now has to pay the release fee). We know how unreasonable and obstinate local govt bureacrats can be. It wouldn't surprise me to see a case dragged through the courts.

The chances of a gross injustice being perpetrated are not high but they are real. Which is why I am nervous about all forms of national database ID schemes.