Dogs/children poison danger warning

CLYDE

CLYDE residents are being to advised watch their children, dogs, and what they eat as a largescale rabbit control operation starts on Monday.

Weatherdependent, carrot bait laced with anticoagulant poison Pindone will be laid over four weeks to control rabbits in the town.

The Central Otago District Council in a post to social media advised people not to handle the bait, watch children at all times, not to eat animals from the area or within 2km of it, and not to allow dogs access to animal carcasses.

The carrots will be dyed green to allow people to easily see and avoid them and no bait will be laid within 20m of a building or house.

Tracks and reserves near the operation area will be clearly signposted.

The collaborative rabbit control operation — coordinated by the Otago Regional Council (ORC) — involves and is funded by multiple landowners, including the Central Otago District Council, Southern District Health Board, Department of Conservation, and private landowners on the east side of the Clutha River.

ORC manager biosecurity and rural liaison Andrea Howard said the joint operation was the first of a new collaborative engagement process being developed by the council.

‘‘The approach is to bring landowners affected by rabbits together to look at the problem and work cooperatively on solutions.’’

The control operation was the result of that process in Clyde.

Rabbits were a regular source of frustration, particularly around Dunstan Golf Club and Dunstan Hospital, Ms Howard said.

ORC’s Regional Pest Management Plan, adopted late last year, requires all landowners in Otago to control rabbits on their property.

The operation will end approximately eight weeks from the start date. The operation will take place across multiple properties bordering the Clutha River in Clyde, including the town’s dog exercise area.