Tighter restrictions over dog access to shorebird habitats, heightened protection of shorebird nesting sites and increased efforts to improve dog control in local communities are key changes to Whakatāne District Council’s revised dog control policy.
Council’s Policy and Strategy Committee adopted important changes to the policy in response to public feedback to the Policy review earlier this year.
Council received 57 submissions to the policy review which was grouped into three general areas:
- Additional objectives to reflect the district’s local circumstances, chiefly protection of native fauna areas and rural/farming communities
- Increased emphasis on community-based solutions to dog control
- Inclusion of microchipping requirements to reflect legislative changes to the Act.
General Manager Development and Environment Services David Bewley says the policy changes reflect strong sentiments from the Department of Conservation, Eastern Bay Forest and Bird and Whakatāne Kiwi Trust to heighten protection for the many species of endangered shorebirds that nest along the District’s shoreline.
In addition to greater protection for nesting shorebirds from dogs, submitters sought a review of exercise areas on beaches where shorebirds nest, recognising that tūturiwhatu (New Zealand dotterel) and other shorebird species nest at the mouths and sandy spits of many streams.
Aside from the direct impact of dogs such as harassing, chasing adults and chicks and predating on eggs and chicks, dogs can also have an indirect negative impact on nesting success.
The revised policy responds to requests from Federated Farmers and DOC to allow working dogs to carry out their work in areas otherwise prohibited to dogs, such as on public conservation land. This change will allow for a range of working dogs owned by the Police, biosecurity agencies or DOC to access these areas if necessary.
Changes to the policy also address localised dog control issues, such as roaming and unregistered dogs. These problems have historically been difficult for Council to resolve. The revised policy promotes Council’s intent to work with local community stakeholders to tailor dog control to local circumstances.
This change was made in response to councillors wanting more emphasis on working with community champions who have a strong understanding of their local circumstances.
Other submitters asked Council to review the existing dog exercise areas in the District. A review of exercise areas will be presented to the new Council as a change to the Dog Control Bylaw and will be subject to a separate public submission process next year. This will include reviewing the currently prohibited dog area at Pacific Park, Ōhope – which was an area raised by several submitters.
The full revised Dog Control Policy can be viewed on Council’s website, whakatane.govt.nz/dog-policies