Guidelines for dog owners living in a kiwi zone

On our peninsula we have extremely high numbers of kiwi. Many of us are incredibly privileged to be living with kiwi in our back yards.

It's a huge responsibility to own a dog in a kiwi zone, Here's our suggestions for ensuring our dogs never meet a kiwi:

 

  • kiwi dogs

    Know what our dogs are doing at all times.
  • Never let our dogs roam uncontrolled.
  • Fence an area off on our properties for our dogs that they can't get out of and kiwi can't get into.
  • Use a short non-retractible lead when walking our dogs. Recently on neigbouring Kerikeri Peninsula a kiwi was killed on the roadside by a dog being walked on a retractible lead.
  • When out and about on the peninsula, keep our dogs on a lead at all times—a kiwi can be caught and killed in seconds. They can shelter in rather obvious places at times.
  • Take special care at night if you haven't got a fenced area. Accompany your dog on a lead if they need to go outside.
  • If you lose your dog, or see a roaming dog on the peninsula:
    Call the FNDC Dog Control Officer on 24-hour Freephone 0800 920 029 or (09) 401 5200.
    Post a photo and or description and location on Northland Grapevine and Dogwatch Facebook pages
    Call us 022 467 5173 we have volunteers that may also be able to assist.
  • Make sure we are familiar with the Dog Management Bylaw 2018 and the Dog Managment Policy 2018