A Northland man has been convicted in the Whangārei District Court over the death of a kiwi chick and has had his border collie dog put down.
After pleading guilty to a charge under the Dog Control Act brought by the Department of Conservation (DOC), the 80-year-old Ngunguru man was sentenced and ordered to pay a fine of $1500.
DOC has since released footage to 1News showing the pet dog, Bobby, picking up the chick on his owner's 50-acre Russell property before running off with it.
"We realise the video is hard to watch. This is why it is important to share it. It shows a well cared for and loved pet dog, during the day, while unsupervised by the owner, spending at least 27 minutes at the kiwi burrow," DOC prosecutor Mike Brodie said.
"This is the first time we have had access to very clear daylight footage of the dangers our controlled pets pose."
The owner initially pleaded not guilty to the charge in order to keep the much-loved family pet alive, but he told 1News that after the death of his wife of 53 years he had too much on his plate and took his lawyer's advice. Bobby was put down last week.
Northland has experienced a spate of kiwi deaths, 29 in the past six months, many due to dogs.
In the Opua Forest, where environmentalists have worked hard to restore the forest and kiwi population, seven kiwi have been killed by dogs in the last two weeks.
"The first one was a shock, to find another two the following week and then another one and another one and then another two was really upsetting for everyone who's involved," Bay Bush Action's Catherine Langford said.
The border collie, named Bobbie, has since been put down and the owner fined after the death of the kiwi. (Source: Supplied)
DOC is looking to track down the dogs responsible and their owners. Under the Dog Control Act, owners could face fines of up to $20,000 or three years imprisonment.
This week's prosecution brings the total number brought by DOC against dog owners to three in Northland since 2021.
DOC ranger Adrian Walker said they don't prosecute all offenders.
"Some dog owners show up at the office and bring kiwi in and are visibly distraught, and in those cases the department haven't prosecuted, in those cases where the owners have come forward and are looking to be better dog owners," he said.
"In the cases where we have multiple kiwi deaths, the department have prosecuted."
He's encouraging dog owners to take part in the kiwi evasion course DOC runs.
Nationally, the kiwi population is declining at a rate of 2% every year, while Northland is bucking the trend in areas where there is sustained pest and dog control with a 3% growth every year.
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