Public Notice

1080 Warning for Dog Owners

Dog owners stay away from Hutt River and Wellington Harbour beaches

Greater Wellington Regional Council is warning dog owners to keep their dogs away from the Hutt River and Wellington Harbour beaches until its staff have checked these areas for possum carcasses poisoned with 1080.
 
Recent heavy rain (August 30 and 31) may have washed possum carcasses poisoned with 1080, from a 7 August possum control north of Upper Hutt, down the Hutt River and into Wellington Harbour.  Greater Wellington has 10 staff today starting to check beaches from Petone to Eastbourne and out to Pencarrow.
 
Once the level of the Hutt River has gone down, staff will be checking both sides for possum carcasses from Te Marua to Petone.  The checks are expected to take until the end of Wednesday (2 September).  Staff will be placing warning signs in all these areas today.
 
Murray Kennedy, Greater Wellington’s, Manager Water Supply, Forests and Parks said that any possum carcasses weren’t a threat to people but would still be poisonous to dogs.  “While people aren’t at risk from these poisoned carcasses, we take the threat to dogs very seriously.  We’re putting up warning signs along beaches at Petone and the eastern side of the harbour today (August 31) and along the Hutt River as soon as the water level has dropped.  “We urge dog owners to avoid all eastern harbour beaches from Petone to Pencarrow, and the Hutt Riverbed.
 
Anyone walking their dog near the harbour beaches and Hutt Riverbed should keep their animals close on a lead, until warning signs have been taken down.”
 
This could be up to two months depending on how long it takes for the possum carcasses to breakdown (Staff are monitoring the breakdown of possum carcasses in the forest north of Upper Hutt, where the possum control operation took place).
 
If dogs have any contact with possum carcasses in the vicinity of those areas, owners should get their dog to vomit and take it to a vet urgently.
 
For more information contact Greater Wellington Communications Adviser Jim Flack on (06) 370-5642 or 027 228 3067.