Pegasus Post: May 26, 2022

4 Thursday May 26 2022
Confrontations sometimes
end in physical assault
• From page 1
“Enforcement options include
issuing warnings and infringements;
if continual breaches
occur over a 24-month period
this may result in an owner being
made a probationary dog owner
or may be disqualified from
owing a dog for a determined
period,” Weston said.
However, Heasley said she has
never seen animal control on the
beach.
“I see them parked sitting in
their car looking on their phone
and they’re probably doing business,
I don’t know, but you never
ever, ever see them on the beach
where all the problems happen.”
For the period of January 1,
2021, to December 31, 2021, city
council received 528 complaints
of dog attacks, 74 complaints of
dogs in prohibited areas/breaching
the bylaw and 74 complaints
of dogs fouling across the city.
Board chair Kelly Barber said
the submission has been referred
to city council staff in the animal
management team to investigate
and report back to the board.
“It’s quite rare for community
organisations and residents’ associations
to get together,” Barber
said.
“I think the whole board
thinks it’s something that needs
to be taken seriously.”
Ridge said the issue had been
bubbling away for some time but
has recently got worse and said
some instances led to confrontations
between beach users, sometimes
ending in physical assault.
“We want to ensure everyone
can enjoy their experience at the
beach,” Ridge said.
“The bad behaviour doesn’t
come from dogs, it’s the dog
owners that haven’t trained their
dogs properly.”
Ridge said he hopes some
action can be taken by the city
council to have stricter enforcement
of the dog bylaws to ensure
everyone can enjoy the beach.
“With freedoms comes responsibilities,”
he said.
“People can have their dog off
the leash at the beach but they
need to have control of them and
respect the rights of others. It just
comes down to consideration.”
Scooter riders raise
almost $350,000
for Cancer Society
Alex Faulkner (above left) of Ohoka and his father
Rodney Faulkner of Parklands were among almost
300 riders who hit the road for the biennial Tranz
Alpine Scooter Safari at the weekend. Aboard 50cc
scooters, the group rode 240km over the Southern
Alps to Hokitika as they raised almost $350,000 for
the Cancer Society. The first scooter safari was held
in 2009. Photographers John Cosgrove and Geoff
Sloan caught up with participants at the start of their
journey at McLeans Island. ​•
•Watch the video on starnews.co.nz