Dogs roaming unleashed in prohibited and leash-only areas are causing problems at Riverton and Curio Bay.
Southland District Council animal control officers will be issuing infringement notices this summer.
Council environmental health manager Michael Sarfaiti says the focus will be on two hot spots, in particular – the Riverton Rocks beach and Curio Bay.
Dog control officer Stuart Fairbairn reminds owners that dogs must be on a leash when on the Riverton beach and footpaths.
“It’s important that people know there are places they can go for recreation where they’re not going to come across dogs off their lead. Unrestrained dogs are causing fear and a nuisance. Some people are petrified just to see a dog off the lead.”
At the Howells Point recreation reserve, at the tip of the Riverton Rocks headlands, nesting populations of threatened bird species pohowera (banded dotterels) and tōrea (oystercatchers) are also at risk from roaming dogs.
Mr Fairbairn reminds dog owners to follow the rules in the Southland District Council Dog Control Bylaw 2015 at all times.
“There are signs at every walkway down to the beach and at the cattle stop at Howells Point,’’ he says. “We’ve been educating people and issuing warnings for the last 18 months. The only way we’re going to stop it and get people to really understand is to start issuing infringement notices.’’
Dog control officers will be issuing instant fines of $300 if dogs are found in prohibited areas, or roaming unleashed in leash-only areas, and will have the full support of Riverton police when enforcing the bylaw.
“We will identify the dog and send the infringement notice to the owner.”
Mr Fairbairn says there is “a huge amount’’ of exercise area where dogs can be off-leash on North Beach and up to the Taramea Bay shop and playgrounds on the Rocks side of the river mouth. “It’s a really great amount of space where dogs can exercise off their leads.’’
Meanwhile, a new sign has been put up at Curio Bay to alert people that they are in a protected wildlife area and that no dogs are permitted.
It is vitally important that dogs are not present in the Curio Bay headlands, which are the nesting grounds of the protected yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) and home to other species.
Southland District Waihopai Toetoes ward councillor Paul Duffy says hoiho are particularly sensitive to dogs.
“We certainly can’t have dogs in the reserve. It puts an incredible amount of stress on the yellow-eyed penguins. It’s not because we don’t like dogs. It’s that the penguins are extremely sensitive to dogs.
“That includes people walking their dogs through the habitat on a leash. They just can’t be there.”
To find dog exercise area maps, go to www.southlanddc.govt.nz and search for dog control bylaw.