In their biggest protest yet, hundreds of farmers and other dog owners gathered at Omarama in the McKenzie Country on Friday to vent their anger at the compulsory microchipping of dogs.
Microchipping is due to take effect next month.
Federated Farmers, which has been leading the opposition to the microchipping law, organised the "Dogs' Breakfast" rally to take place at the site of the South Island and National sheep dog trials, which have been underway this week.
With several hundred heading dogs and huntaways barking up on command it was a noisy message to parliamentarians from the South Island hinterland.
"It serves no useful purpose, it imposes costs with no benefit to the public and particularly to the dog owning fraternity," Federated Farmer's president Charlie Pederson says of microchipping.
Some councils have said enforcing the microchipping law will be a low priorty, but farmers want all councils to commit to taking that stance or ignore it completely.
It seems local councils will be the key after opposition attempts to scrap the new legislation in parliament failed.
A Green Party attempt to introduce a bill removing the microchipping requirement for all except dangerous dogs failed by one vote in parliament, but opposition MPs are continuing efforts to have the law changed.
