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An Auckland Council proposal to ban dogs from a long stretch of coastline at Te Arai has unleashed anger and disbelief from dog owners.
A pack of more than 30 dogs and their owners gathered at Forestry Beach (aka Te Arai South) on February 4 to protest and draw attention to council’s plans to prohibit dogs from the regional park’s coastline.
The proposal instead offers dogs about a 30 metre sliver of sand at Te Arai Point, known as Quarry Beach, for their off-leash wanderings. If approved, owners will have nowhere else to go as the surrounding coastline of Pakiri and Te Arai is already a dog-free zone, with Mangawhai Heads the closest dog-friendly beach.
Council has justified the proposed change by stating that it is an effort to protect wildlife such as endangered dotterels.
Several longtime locals said they had been walking Forestry with their canine companions for more than 20 years and had never witnessed any threat to wildlife or even seen a dotterel.
Protest organiser Tonya McKay said it was unfair for council to use the conservation card when it had allowed for the excavation of trees, acres of vegetation removal and seabed sand mining, as well as the continued development of golf courses in the same area.
“There’re no life savers here, no flags, so it is great for dogs who are well-behaved. I’ve never seen a dog fight or attack. The ban is just ridiculous,” Mckay said.
She added that council had provided no proof that dogs were causing a negative environmental impact at the beach.
“In Auckland Council’s 2022 regional park management plan, they would like to see freedom camping here in the carpark. Isn’t that going to have more of an environmental impact? We all pick up after the dogs, as well as rubbish.”
The proposal is part of council’s review of dog management in 14 regional parks including Te Arai, Pakiri and Mahurangi to protect vulnerable native wildlife.
Input for restricting dogs to Quarry Beach ‘to enjoy and access the ocean for a swim’ were sought ‘from across the council family’ including Parks and Community Facilities and Environmental Services and Policy, ‘who have visited the site and are familiar with the location’
A number of dog owners say they were unaware of the plan and only found out due to Tonya and locals Mark and Janet Holiday, who had increased public awareness in the last few weeks via social media, posters and handing out information at markets.
Marks says there are five kilometres between the Te Arai carpark and the Mangawhai estuary where there is a roped-off area for the dotterels.
“So we don’t believe there’s going to be much impact on wildlife by walking dogs at this end of the beach,” he says.
Public submissions on the proposal close on February 23. For more information visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and enter Dog policy, bylaw and regional and local park access rules | AK Have Your Say
