Thread: Hunting Dog Access Canterbury / SI in general

Does anyone else get frustrated with the rules around where dogs can and can't access?

I find that the information online can be somewhat misleading in the sense that often areas are marked as 'dogs allowed' but on closer investigation, due to easements, access through paper roads e.t.c. the access points are limited.

An example being: MT Hutt/Palmer range. (Just one example I can point to but there are many others).

The area is not a national park, so dogs are allowed.

One of the accesses into the area is via a track that, according to the Outdoor Access Commission. Is a Road parcel. So by that metric, you should be allowed to lawfully carry out any activity you can do on the road i.e walk a dog through.

But if you go there, the 'no dogs' are signs everywhere. Which by my understanding is what most people are going to go by.

This also contradicts DOC's block information that has it designated as an access point.

I find the whole thing is all just very convoluted, to be honest.

Interested to hear other people's experiences here, or maybe I'm just being a bit of an egg and missing something.

Yes its just plain dumb. No Kiwi in area so there is even less reason for denied access. And a tramper with a dog is not prosecuted and doesn't risk permit revocation....I believe most frontline doc staff find this as daft as we do.

To be honest, I wouldn’t take a dog into a national park (makes sense) but would most other places. If crossing private land or areas where there are people about put it on a lead to avoid embarrassment. I’m a shepherd and most places I’ve lived and worked if you’ve got a dog under control and causing no issues about 99% of farmers will be happy especially if you can produce a dosing certificate.

Thanks for the comments guys.
good point on the worming paperwork.

I think my biggest gripe with it is the lack of clarity around the whole thing, which is the lack of clear information on the matter. It's always risky to leave things to people's interpretation, the public's or otherwise.

Hell! We even do it on here, think I saw a thread on dogs being where they shouldn't be, with all manner of opinions expressed.
Have heard talk of permits being issued by DOC for this sort of thing so might look into that.

I always get a dog permit.
Top of south ones come with lot of unfo about where you can and cant go.
Peace of mind is what it give

yes it is confusing as an ex Ranger my biggest gripe was those who took their dogs into the huts -- thats a no no -other users turn up they should not have to put up with your dog smelling up the hut -be considerate -they dont belong inside the hut - now a lot on here will disagree dont care - dogs DOC huts outside

No dogs is pretty clear to me

And it's not just about kiwis
There are a lot of other vulnerable species that get disturbed
Sadly any user group is judged by the worst 1%

Do something proactive about it
Get involved in conservation
Volunteer in conservation

I got a special permit to have my dog with me at work for my DoC contracts
Prove that you are responsible and have your dog under control

My GWP was assessed as penguin safe and spent 3 months on an island doing a DoC hut job

If you don't like the system do something about it

The biggest thing that annoys me is the inconsistencies between different Doc regions about dog rules. You would think it would be the same rules everywhere.
Waikato was apply for a dog permit ( which covered the whole area) you had to show a dosing certificate. Nelson/Marlborough was similar. West Coast seems to be permits for a specific area. Canterbury, no separate permit. Presence of kiwis stops a lot of areas, but no Kiwi avoidance certificate. Other areas a kiwi certificate is allowed/needed.

Yeah inconsistency is annoying your right about that. Dogs shouldn’t be around kiwis I get that too. However as far as damage/disturbance to other vulnerable species etc, do all the ferrets, stoats, cats and possums have a permit to be there? Sometimes doc focuses on things they can, or would like to, control and conveniently forget about things they can’t.