Too risky to release ducks
A DUNEDIN animal lover says she will no longer release rescued birds into a North Dunedin park because it is too dangerous.
Bird Rescue Dunedin founder Sue Cook said she would no longer release ducks back into Woodhaugh Gardens because of the high number killed recently.
Miss Cook said she had been contacted by two or three people concerned about the number of ducks and other birds being injured or killed by dogs at the gardens.
‘‘There have been a few which have been killed by cars but mainly it’s people going down there and letting their dogs run around and leap into the pond and chase ducks.’’
Motorists driving along Malvern St were also a concern.
‘‘People take their kids down there and it’s really awful when there are dead birds lying around so I won’t be releasing any more ducks down there.’’
Mick Marychurch, of
Dunedin, was one of the concerned people who contacted Miss Cook. He said he had found mauled ducks around the gardens recently which he said were obviously the result of dog attacks.
‘‘You can tell by the damage it’s not pussycats doing the damage,’’ he said.
Dogs are prohibited from the gardens apart from defined walking tracks and they must be on a lead.
People with dogs needed to follow the rules and realise the damage their pets could do to the ducks and other birdlife in the area, he said.
Mr Marychurch said he had also been told people had been seen trying to catch the geese living in the gardens, but he was unsure if they had been successful.
A Dunedin City Council spokeswoman said the gardens were regularly patrolled by animal services officers. If dogs were found off leads, officers took an educational approach with owners.
There had been no reports of people trying to capture birds from the gardens, the spokeswoman said.