Colour-coded dog leads’ aim to protect wildlife

The latest fashion accessory for dogs will mean little to them as they have limited colour vision, but colour-coded leashes may mean plenty for endangered wildlife.

The colourful leads are a signal to other dog owners — and a reminder to pet owners themselves — of their pooch’s personality type.

The Department of Conservation hopes the leads, modelled on an Australian initiative, will remind dog owners to control their pets if they come in to contact with wildlife.

"They trialled this in Tasmania, where they had a lot of issues with nesting birds on the beach being disturbed by dogs," Doc community ranger Jesikah Triscott said.

"It is a lot of common sense, and it’s a positive message we’re trying to push — that dog ownership is fun, that it’s important to get into nature.

"We don’t want to discourage that; we just want to make sure everybody stays safe."

There are four lead colours: green (friendly), orange (cautious), red (would prefer to keep to themselves) and yellow (blind or deaf).

There have been a number of dog attacks on wildlife in recent years, including a fur seal killing in  Invercargill and penguin killings in the Catlins and also near Oamaru.

Ms Triscott said some of the money from sales of the leads would go the Wildlife Hospital. Hospital co-chairman Andy Cunningham’s dog Meg, which earlier this year famously survived for five weeks in the wild after being injured, is the mascot of the "Lead The Way" campaign.

"We have already made a large donation to the Wildlife Hospital, and some people are being so great and making an extra donation to them on top of that."

The new leads proved a hit at a special promotion at the Otago Farmers Market on Saturday, with several sales.

mike.houlahan@odt.co.nz