Northlanders warned: Collect doggy dos or face a $300 fine

Dog owner Taylor McKeeman with his pure bred american bulldog Harley at Kensington Park always has a bag to collect doggy deposits. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Dog owners are being warned to pick up their doggy dos deposited in public places or they could face a $300 fine.

It seems during the Covid-19 lockdowns walking the dog has experienced a resurgence and one of Whangārei's biggest sporting parks has become a popular place to walk canine companions even though it's a no dog zone.

Whangārei District Council Health and Bylaws manager Reiner Mussle said Kensington Park was one of the worst areas for doggy dos.

"Kensington Park is actually a dog restricted area because it is used by hundreds of children and adults for team sports each week. As we move into alert level 2 sports may resume, so it's important that our sports fields and parks are ready to use."

Mussle said dog owners who did not remove their dog's faeces from public places and dispose of it appropriately could be fined $300.

Dog owner Taylor McKeeman said he had been walking his american bulldog Harley at Kensington Park during level 4 and level 3 but always had a bag to collect the doggy deposits.

He said as the park was going to be used for sports again he would head to the dog park and walk around The Loop.

The Loop has also been a popular place to walk with dogs and some have noticed an increase in the number of dogs off their leads.

Nadia Van der Poll went running around The Loop during the week and posted on Facebook: "The number of people with dogs off lead was ridiculous.

"One man had three dogs all off leash on The Loop, and they were rushing up to people, so didn't have good recall at all," she said.

"Keep your dogs on leads. Just because it's not as busy as usual doesn't mean it's now an off lead area. Take them to the dog park if you want to let them off."

She also noted dog poop on Te Matau a Pohe bridge.

Van der Poll also had the unpleasant experience of seeing a woman making a deposit in the garden next to the pathway by the campervan carpark near the playground.

"I just have no words. The toilet is less than 100m walk."

The Government website said dog owners could walk their dog under any of the alert levels.

However, if someone in the household had Covid-19 then any dogs in the household should not be exercised off the property.

It was recommended to walk dogs on a leash and not to do anything that may require help if you or your dog ended up getting into trouble.