Dog owners behaving badly threaten wildlife in coastal reserve

Dog owners breaking the rules at a Southland bay that is home to endangered wildlife are becoming "very aggressive" when confronted.

Curio Bay is a coastal area east of Invercargill, known for its Hector’s dolphins, marine wildlife and a fossilised forest.

A total dog ban is in place at its two reserves, the camping ground and parts of Porpoise Bay.

But people have been flouting the long-standing rules, according to a recent Waihopai Toetoe Community Board report.

Board chairwoman Pam Yorke said the ban was there for a reason.

"It doesn’t seem to be getting through to people. It doesn’t matter how much signage we put up," Ms Yorke told Local Democracy Reporting.

"People honestly don’t listen, they get very aggressive and they take no notice."

The rules had been in place for a long time and were being ignored by both locals and other New Zealand residents.

"It’s not tourist-based at all."

Dom Schmidt holds the lease for the campground at Curio Bay and said he had gone so far as to make his own signs.

He also took photos of the perpetrators and reported them to the council.

"People open their door, let their dogs jump out, they have a s... in the campground . . . I report them to the council.

"You (can) get abuse from them."

On one occasion, he had to call the police over someone’s behaviour.

Last weekend, someone punched the air when he told them he was reporting them to the council, warning they should expect a fine.

"In the high-season time, it gets totally out of control."

Cr Paul Duffy agreed there was an issue at Curio Bay but said it wouldn’t be a quick fix.

People needed to understand why the rules existed, he said, adding some just didn’t want to obey instructions.

"The big issue there is the wildlife."

Southland District Council legal and compliance manager Julie Conradi said the council had received a "higher-than-average" number of complaints in the past 12 months, with a focus on dogs being off their leash at the campground and beach.

The complaints had been generated by only a few people.

The council had taken action by adding more signs, providing booklets for distribution, and continuing to patrol the area.

"Unfortunately, due to a vacant animal control officer position which is currently being recruited for, council are unable to increase patrols in this area right now," Ms Conradi said.

The council’s dog control bylaw was last approved in 2015, and will be up for review next year.

If the council is able to gain enough evidence of a breach, it can issue a $300 infringement notice.

■LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.