The Department of Conservation was investigating the incident on Middle Beach yesterday, which left a Weddell seal with multiple puncture wounds.
Doc Otago ranger Jim Fyfe said details were still unclear, but the seal had some bloody marks on its body and around its neck and head.
"These animals are pretty robust and they recover pretty quickly from injuries.
"They would need to in the ocean, so we’re not concerned that the injuries are by any means fatal."
It was rare for a Weddell seal to be seen on Dunedin beaches, as they were usually found around the Antarctic.
"It’s pretty special that it’s arrived and spending time on the beach here. We’re not sure why."
Mr Fyfe said the owner of the dog had contacted Doc to report the incident.
"It’s certainly disappointing that these rare species that do visit are harassed and attacked in this sort of way by our four-legged friends," Mr Fyfe said.
It was up to dog owners to check beaches before letting dogs off their leash, he said.
If they did see any wildlife, there was a bylaw that stated they had to keep dogs on their leash within 20m of it.
Related Stories
Comments
Get the damn dogs off the beaches also it's like a minefield of dog crap at St Clair as well
Ban all dog's roaming the beaches Now!!
This is a rare occasion where a dog has mauled wildlife, yes it's completely awful for the seal however the owner did the right thing and reported it. Beaches are almost the only place you can take dogs off leashes these days. How about the anti doggie people stick to the likes of the Botanical Gardens, Tunnel Beach etc where no dogs are allowed then everyone's happy.
Keep your dogs off the beaches; why should I wade through dog crap for dumb dog owners