A happy canine congregation at Kaiti Beach, pig hunting dogs worrying livestock and the not-so-puppy-love side of dog control.
It's a dog's life in Tairāwhiti, and promoting an environment where "dogs and people can happily co-exist" falls to Gisborne District Council.
Promoting an environment where "dogs and people can happily co-exist" is the role of Gisborne District Council, according to a report that came before councillors last week. Photo: UNSPLASH
The council uses its Dog Control Policy and Bylaw 2010 to ensure the health and wellbeing of dogs, their owners and the public.
But the decade-old bylaw is up for review and the council can't "paws" on it.
Councillors voted in favour of reviewing the bylaw at last week's Sustainable Tairāwhiti meeting.
Under legislation, councils must review bylaws every 10 years.
A review of the bylaw will look at areas such as the number of dogs allowed on premises, places where dogs are prohibited and on-lead/off-lead areas.
The council plans to take a draft policy and bylaw to the community for consultation in May next year.
But dog management is definitely not all puppy love, with a staff report before councillors last week saying more than 600 dogs were impounded in the past financial year.
Of those, 270 were claimed, 84 were rehomed and 65 were returned.
More than 200 dogs were euthanised because they were not claimed and were "unsuitable" to be rehomed, the report said.
Councillors supported the review, with the exception of Shannon Dowsing, who suggested pushing the review out given the current workstream, including Three Waters and review of the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan.
Staff said postponing the review could put the council at risk of the bylaw expiring and being unable to enforce it.
Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga said he was big on finding the balance between controlling dogs, while incentivising good dog ownership. He wanted to engage with the community on specific dog parks and dog beaches.
"I have heard from people who have phobias of dogs that they would feel more comfortable going to places that are going to be dog-free areas."
Andy Cranston said he was horrified by the number of dogs that were euthanised.
"We know that the problem isn't the dogs, it's the owners, and I just wonder if we can somehow strengthen what happens with recidivist poor owners," he said.
"We know that something happens with these dogs. They roam and the owners don't come and pick them up because they know full well that they can go down the street and pick up another dog."
Cranston wanted more done around the poor behaviour of dog owners.
Councillor Larry Foster said Kaiti Beach had become a well-known dog area.
"Most days there's so many dogs down there and people driving up and down the beach, with their dogs chasing behind them.
"Most dogs, when you come up to them, their tails are wagging and the other dogs are meeting with each other and it's a bit of a congregation of the canine."
Councillor Terry Sheldrake wanted to see rehoming of dogs wherever possible.
"I hate seeing one dog put down, let alone 210."
Councillor Kerry Worsnop said Tairāwhiti had a larger pig hunting fraternity than other regions, which meant a higher proportion of dogs whose natural inclination was to chase things and worry them.
This had "pretty massive implications" for farmers who had livestock near townships and on the fringes of the city.
"I would really support us having a good look at what tools we have available," she said.
"It is really stressful being an owner of stock when you know that there's persistent worrying going on."
Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers' Association and NZ On Air.