Kawerau Dog Pound Adopt-a-Dog

23/04/2026

Kia Ora

ON THE 22/4/2026 OUR AFTER HOUR TEAM FOUND A PUP IF THIS BELONGS TO YOU PLEASE COME IN AND DESCRIBE THE PUP.

30/03/2026

Kia Ora Kawerau WHANAU we currently have this lovely dog with us found roaming Tarawera High School.

10/03/2026

02/03/2026

Such an insightful breakdown from Pound Paws Rescue 🐶👌

This would make a world of difference when it comes to settling a dog into their furever home 🏡

26/02/2026

Hey hey hey, we're kicking off the new year with 3 wonderful kurī looking for their forever home 🐶🏡 check them out, let us know if any of them could be a fit for your home and we'll set you up with a meet and greet 🫶

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HADEZ (tan) | Bull Mastiff X | 4yrs | chipped | un-neutered
Handsome, cheeky, patient, rugged, and sturdy.
HADEZ was surrendered to us due to a short-noticed eviction where the owner was not permitted to move him to their new location.

We know HADEZ quite well as he used to be a frequent roamer; but we're sure that he knew he wasn't supposed to be roaming.
He'd have fun with us when we'd chase him home and on the couple of times he did end up in the pound, he was always a pleasure to deal with.

At first, he'd make it difficult for us to get him back in the kennel as he walked everywhere except for his kennel. And with his size it was initially an anxious time to instruct him but, his kindness showed in that he'd actually let us handle him/guide him back to his kennel. He always wanted to play too and loved a good, rough pat!

Our interactions after the first impounding were always positive from then on. Fast forward to today, he knows what to do around the pound and also responds to commands (i.e. sit, come, kennel etc.).

HADEZ would be a great guard dog, exercise buddy and/or chill companion. He is great with kids, has a good tolerance for dogs . He does have a tendency to pull on the lead if not handled properly or if no order is established.

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REBEL (brown) | Rotty x Mastiff | 7yrs | neutered
Quirky, cruisy, mischief, and obedient.

REBEL has this quirky smile where his smile pulls right to the back of his jaw, which makes it look like he wants to bite you.

The best thing about that is that he's actually one of the kindest dogs in town. I've even caught him roaming after hours (AM) while running my own dog. We weren't well acquainted at that time, but he wanted to come up for some pats and to meet my dog and, sensing that mine wasn't going to have a bar of it, quickly turned around and ran back home! Every time we caught him out roaming he'd run straight to the van for some pats lol!

In the pound he's been a pleasure to have. He does bark to get let out but other than that, is a cruisy dog to deal with. He'll find a way out if he can so will need plenty of adventures to keep him at bay. Never had any barking complaints.

REBEL has proved to be a great family dog with a huge heart and love for pats.

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CELESTE (brindle) | Greyhound X | 4-5yrs | un-neutered
Patient, kind, loving and intelligent gentle giant.

Unfortunately for Celeste, she was found roaming and no owner has come forth. So there's not much to go off of with her.

During her time with us in the pound, she has been a delight. We have found though that she has such a beautiful nature; she's most patient when it comes to feeding and being let out, goes straight back to her kennel, unbothered by other dogs and also kind towards them.

We only have one warning for taking Celeste in - do not lock eyes with her, as she will connect with you on a soul-level.
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Call us on 07 306 9009 and ask for the Dog Ranger Team
Or, direct message us here and we'll get to you ASAP

P.S. these dogs have also been advertised with other rescue and foster home pages, so please do not hesitate if these dogs capture your interest 🙌

14/12/2025

Is this your furbaby - approx 3 months old - picked up outside New World this morning - she is well behaved and well mannered she must belong to a loving family - please come pick her up from the Council Office

02/11/2025

WE HAVE 2 GOING UP FOR ADOPTION TODAY (more to come this week so please stay posted) 🐶

KURO 🌑 A male American Staffy X, age is unknown but our best guess puts him at about 5 - 7.

Absolutely, one the loveliest dogs we've had at the pound! A gentle boy who knows how to chill, how to keep a tidy area and how to get along with other dogs 🫰 obviously loves a good pat and cuddle too... you can tell that he knows he's bigger and stronger than the dogs he hangs out with, but is passive when it comes to play time letting them jump all over him and get the upper hand on them ✨

NYX 🥷 A female Labrador X, age unknown but we put her around 3 - 5.

This one is the complete opposite to KURO! She's gentle too but is very dominating with other dogs in the yard 🥴 in saying that, she has energy to burn so loves to play and is actually better off with company... when we let her out she's always looking or waiting for her mates to join her in the yard 😇 she's tidy too and despite her dominating nature she listens well to us.

You know the know team, please do not hesitate to contact us if either of these dogs pique your interest 🐶

DM us or call on 07 306 9009 and ask for the Dog Ranger Team

29/09/2025

🐶 FYI 🐶

💜🐾🚨 New Dog Tethering Rules in Effect Today (25 Sept 2025) 🐶💜🐾🚨

From today, new dog tethering regulations under the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations are active in New Zealand.

These rules aren’t about banning tethering entirely - they’re about preventing harm and protecting dogs. SPCA New Zealand have put together some great FAQs you can read on this at the bottom of this post - but here's a quick summary:

⭕𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟱𝗔 – 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴
It will now be an offence to tether a dog if two or more “signs of prolonged tethering” are present. Examples include ground worn bare, buildup of faeces, injuries from the tether, locked collars, fly strike dermatitis, or behavioural signs like constant pacing or barking.
⭕𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟱𝗕 – 𝗩𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀
Tethering vulnerable dogs (puppies under 6 months, pregnant or nursing dogs, dogs in heat) will only be allowed in very short, supervised situations (e.g. for vet care or brief necessary tasks). Otherwise it’s prohibited.
➡️𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗻
Dogs can still be tethered for periods of time - as long as they’re not showing signs of harm, and especially not vulnerable dogs outside the allowed exceptions.
📖𝗘𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Inspectors will begin with a focus on education, helping people understand the new rules. But in serious or non-compliant cases, infringement fines can be issued ($500 for prolonged tethering, $300 for vulnerable dog violations). Importantly, the regulations give inspectors clearer legal backing to step in earlier where harmful tethering is occurring.
❓𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆
If you suspect a dog is tethered in breach of the rules (signs of harm, vulnerable dog, etc.), SPCA encourages you to submit a welfare complaint via their website or contact your local SPCA centre.

These regulations aren’t aimed at responsible dog owners - they’re designed to protect dogs in situations where, until now, inspectors haven’t had the legal tools to step in.

If you’re a dog guardian, now is a great time to double-check how and where your dog is tethered - make sure it’s safe, supervised, and doesn’t show signs of stress or physical harm.

SPCA FAQ: https://www.spca.nz/news-and-events/news-article/dog-tethering-regulations-faqs

29/09/2025

ATTEEEEEEENTION 🫡🫡🫡

Have you ever wanted a sharp dog who's both chill enough on guard duties AND has enough energy to keep up with you? 🔥 A gooooood good boy who looks bad enough to keep your visitors on their best behavior? 😝 A tough boy with enough goof to keep the kids entertained? 🙌☀️

If this sounds like the dream dog for you,
then please... meet SARGE 🐶👊

🐾 Medium-sized, male American Pitbull X coming up on 7yrs old
🐾 Has shown no signs of aggression since the day we met
🐾 House-trained, clever and chill

What I love most about SARGE is that not only does he know what he wants, but he also knows what you want as his caregiver 😇 and though he's always keen to play in the yard, he really just wants all the cuddles he can get 💕 a real tough boy on the outside with a soft heart 💯

When we first met SARGE he played his role as the guard dog but it didn't take him long to chill out and leave it to his partner... and then when the gate was open he came straight out to collect his pats LOL since having him we've noticed that he loves a tidy area so, he makes sure to wait until he's let outside before doing his business! His bedding is always clean when we check in on him which makes cleaning his kennel a real pleasure 🙏

He loves his food so is happy to sit and wait when being served 🍲 I'll admit though he DOES rush outside BUT, you can't blame him considering! We had a little jumping problem when getting his pats and cuddles but we've been able to work that with him too 👌

All in all, SARGE would be a steal for any home! So if he does pique your interest then please do not hesitate to ring us in Te Kaunihera ā rohe o Kawerau - Kawerau District Council and we'll organize a meet and greet, and then move forward from there 😁🫶

27/06/2025

Meet our newest recruits at the Kawerau Council Pound: Rumble and Rascal – two 2-month-old Rottweiler crosses who are 80% fluff and 20% mischief.

✅ First round of basic vaccinations? ✔️
✅ Ready to steal your socks and your heart? ✔️
✅ Expert-level puppy eyes? Absolutely.

These pint-sized powerhouses are looking for a forever home where they can grow into their paws and learn that not everything is a chew toy (we’re working on it). Whether you're after a cuddle buddy, a future jogging partner, or just someone to blame for that missing mellowpuff, these pups are your guys. Guaranteed to be hard working pups (by hard work, we mean very hard out napping).

These two will go quickly and home suitability is carefully assessed.