Doggy drama on Dunedin beaches — and it is affecting us all

THANKS to the Otago Daily Times and Hamish MacLean for the story regarding dogs on St Clair and St Kilda beaches (ODT, 6.4.21).

I have previously written about dog attacks on our wildlife.

Not only are pinnipeds at risk from dogs off leash, but in the past year I have been threatened and menaced twice by mastiff cross dogs.

I know people who won’t walk the beaches for fear of being leapt on and growled at, scratched and pawed, and slobbered over, by offleash and uncontrolled dogs.

The owners think such behaviour is so cute and quite acceptable.

Should walkers carry electric cattle prods and heavy staffs to defend themselves?

Just as bad is the amount of dog faeces on the beach and dunes.

I understand Dunedin’s dogs exude 1.8 tonnes of faeces each day — a fair chunk of which seems to be deposited on our beaches.

The reaction of some owners to their dog’s making a mess is interesting.

There are the ‘‘look and ignore it’’ ones, the ‘‘scuff sand over it’’ types, the ones who plasticbag it only to drop the bag back on to the sand — and the worst are those of the latter ilk who then throw in into the ocean.

It is interesting to note the council’s Peter Hanlin can not say how many offleash dog infringement notices have been issued at St Clair.

I bet my last ‘‘red cent’’ the number issued will be nil.

Richard Laimbeer

St Clair

Freedom camping

WHILE my aspiration to homelessness may seem perversely contrarian, I’m still really sad when thinking about those who are without housing that really need and want it.

I can’t see how freedom camping laws can be reasonably made, without them enabling the penalising of the homeless.

If the Tourism Minister is expecting to rely on the discretion of enforcement officers to make these judgement calls for us, their pay rates should be commensurate with other members of our judiciary.

I’m drawing quite a long bow here, but surely there’s a grain of truth.

If the minister doesn’t want tourists who behave like this, he should find a way to stop them coming in.

Don’t burden us with more laws strengthening the ability of current and future, perhaps less beneficent, administrations to lay in to folk who find themselves on the margins of society, or those who are simply out of step with the majority of our settler society’s aspirations.

Peter Small

Dunedin

Reunion

Palmerston Scottish Dance Club: 60th celebrations, Saturday, May 29. Past and present members and spectators welcome. Contact Christine Hardisty clanhardisty@gmail.com, or Lynne Booth (03) 4657714.