Buffy, the 3-ish-year-old Shar Pei who was rescued and taken to BOI Animal Rescue Centre in Kawakawa. He is looking for a forever home.
A never-ending story
Bay of Islands Animal Rescue in Kawakawa is a non-profit organisation. The charity rescues animals in need and rehomes them. It is staffed by volunteers and to survive they rely purely on donations and fundraising.
They run an adopt-a-pet system, mostly for dogs and puppies and there’s a foster-pet scheme, where people provide homes on a temporary basis.
It’s a never-ending story, the animals keep on coming and it’s not getting less busy. To date, the centre has rehomed over 3000 dogs as well hundreds of cats, horses, sheep, pigs, cows, ducks, chickens and even rabbits and alpaca.
They also provide an ongoing desexing programme as well as educating people, potential owners, on how animals should be cared for.
The centre recently rescued Buffy who is a Shar Pei around 3-ish years old. He had lived his life chained but was fed and watered and with a warm kennel. He has been relinquished by an elderly owner because he was too strong for her to handle.
Although the owner loved him and did her best for him, when he was rescued he came into the Kawakawa centre covered in mange. He slept at the veterinary clinic overnight and the following day was desexed.
The person who homes him will need to teach him the rules of being an inside dog and one who can enjoy the couch. The potential owner will need patience with him.
BOI Animal Rescue recently acquired Tony (as in Soprano) and Roger his fox terrier brother. They were desexed earlier in the week.
They have grown up around cats but like a typical “foxy” they will chase them if they can. Their mother thinks she is a cat-dog and when one of the volunteers brought her in to the centre, she wouldn’t sit on the car seat.
“She kept either sitting on the dashboard or trying to drive, and it was a long drive home, stopping and starting to put her back on the seat,” she said. For further information: facebook.com/b.o.ianimalrescue/
New Civil Defence team for Kerikeri and Waipapa
A new Civil Defence team has been established for Kerikeri and Waipapa for the benefit of residents and visitors in a time of crisis.
The recent tornado devastation in Mangawhai served as the impetus for the formation of the team and has highlighted the need for weather event preparation for every household and business.
An important change to the old plan is that the first point of gathering for volunteers and those needing support in a crisis is at the Frontline Christian Church, 119 Hone Heke Rd, Kerikeri (and NOT the Kerikeri fire station).
The team is looking for contacts across the community with an interest in Civil Defence or an ability to help before, during or after a crisis event.
The new plan highlights four major or key hazards.
Cyclones and major storms can cause damage to property and infrastructure, affect crops and livestock, disrupt essential services, and cause coastal inundation.
Floods can cause injury and loss of life, damage to property and infrastructure, loss of stock, and contamination of water and land. Floods are usually caused by continuous heavy rain or thunderstorms but can also result from tsunamis and coastal storm inundation. A flood becomes dangerous if the water is very deep or travelling very fast.
Tsunami: New Zealand’s entire coast is at risk of tsunamis. A tsunami can violently flood coastlines, causing devastating property damage, injuries and loss of life. A tsunami is a natural phenomenon consisting of a series of waves generated when a large volume of water in the sea, or in a lake, is rapidly displaced.
Fire including wildfires: Although there are many benefits to living in the country, rural property owners face a higher risk of fire than city dwellers.
If a fire starts it may not be detected as quickly and emergency services take longer to respond because of greater travel distances.
For more information: Kerikeri Waipapa Civil Defence Plan.
Russell rubbish initiative
Over the busy Christmas-New Year period a number of waste recycling bins “popped up” on Russell wharf.
It was an initiative by Resilient Russell Charitable Trust in conjunction with Jane Hindle from the Bay of Islands Community Board. The objective was to reduce the amount of rubbish abandoned by yachties and visitors over a 25-day timeframe.
It was the second year the rubbish bins had been in place and the message seems to be getting through.
In total, 105 rubbish bags were received from, and paid for, by boaties compared to 94 waste bags last year. In addition, 10 bags of general waste were left by the bins overnight.
Taken to the transfer station was 421 wheelie bins of recycling material and seven large bins of cardboard. The total volume was 14,700 litres of recycling or 14.7cu m.
Put another way, it is the equivalent of 14,700 one-litre drink bottles that have been kept out of landfill. The total last year was 11,900 litres of recycling.
For Bay of Islands Sailing Week at the end of January, there were nine recycling ambassadors involved with after-sailing functions over three days and 4970 litres of recycling were diverted from landfill.
Chairman of the Resilient Russell Charitable Trust, Alastair Macduff, said there were 14 recycling ambassadors stationed at the bins over the time period.
“Of course there were all the other people, organisations and businesses that all played a vital part in contributing to the success of the project.”
The bins and ambassadors will be back on the wharf for the Coastal Classic event which is held over Labour weekend. In between those events recycling bins provided by Far North District Council are in place.
A new swordfish club for Ōpua
The Bay of Islands Swordfish Club (BOISC) is the second-oldest fishing club in the world with a history dating back to 1910. The club was first registered as an incorporated society in 1918.
There is a Swordfish Club in Paihia, one in Russell and there’s about to be a third club, this time based at the Ōpua Marina. It will be erected on reclaimed waterfront land which is leased from Far North Holdings (FNH).
BOISC and FNHL first began discussions on the new clubhouse in 2015 and since then a considerable amount of planning and due diligence has been undertaken to bring the project to fruition.
The first sod of earth for its construction was turned last Friday. The building earmarked as clubrooms is the old library from Massey University, Albany, which will be transported to Ōpua in 14 sections on several trucks owned by Northland businessman Rod Haines.
Funding the project is through a number of dedicated members and local businesses. A limited run of 100 life memberships for $6500 each is being sold and to date there are only a few memberships remaining to be picked up.
Jeff Douglas, president of BOISC, said it’s an historic day for the club.
“The Swordfish Club is not limited to just big game fishing, snapper, kingfish and kahawai are equally prized.
“We also have rock fishing competitions as well as some junior fishing programmes and tournaments.”
Chris Galbraith, general manager of FNHL Marina, said the establishment of the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club in Ōpua is the final touch on the marina Stage 2 development.
“Fishing is a fundamental part of Kiwi culture, especially in the Bay of Islands and these new clubrooms are central to the development of the marina.”
Complaints and concerns about the Government's revamped school lunch programme continue.