Train your dog to avoid kiwi and win a hunting trip to the Motu

BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust is seeking the support of dog owners in the fight to save the kiwi and encouraging them to enroll their dogs in kiwi aversion training, with a fantastic prize package up for grabs for those who do so. 

 Kiwi aversion training takes just a few minutes to complete and is offered at a variety of locations around the country. Once a dog has been through the training, it is far less likely to attack these endangered birds, says BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust Director Michelle Impey.

 To encourage hunters, farmers and other dog owners to put their dogs through kiwi aversion training this season, BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust is offering the chance to win a fantastic prize package. The Trust has partnered up with Central Helicopters and Purina to offer owners of dogs who have completed the training by 31st July 2011 to the chance to win a hunting trip in the Motu Valley, a year’s supply of dog food and a cash contribution towards veterinary bills.

 “Dogs and kiwi just don’t mix”, says Impey. “Without wing muscles to protect it, the kiwi’s chest structure can be easily crushed – any dog can kill a kiwi in seconds simply by picking it up in its mouth. Many dog owners think ‘my dog wouldn’t do that’. But in fact ANY dog can and will kill kiwi, no matter how docile or obedient it may be.”

 “At this time of year, as the start of hunting season approaches, there is a spike in the number of dogs taken into the bush which results in a potential increased risk for kiwi. However, if care is taken then risks can be minimised, so we’re asking for the support of those involved to help support our national icon.”

 BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust is urging hunters, farmers and others heading into the bush to find out if kiwi are present and to take some precautions to help ensure local kiwi survival. Dogs are responsible for the highest number of adult kiwi deaths, prompting the Trust to urge dog owners to follow a few simple rules this season:

•  If you are taking dogs into the bush to hunt, limit hunting parties to a maximum of three dogs and ensure they are trained and targeted hunters. It only takes a few seconds for a dog to sniff out a kiwi and shake it causing death or such massive shock and internal bleeding that the kiwi later dies.
• Do not hunt at night in kiwi areas as kiwi are more active and would be more likely to encounter the dogs.
• Find areas where there are no kiwi for training your dogs
• Do not leave dogs behind after the day’s hunt
• Use short range finders
• Do obedience training on your dog when it is still a pup – a well behaved, well-trained dog will be a better hunting dog!

Aversion or avoidance training is another vitally important tool to prevent dogs attacking kiwi. The safest option for kiwi is to avoid having dogs ever encounter them, but if they must go into a kiwi area, this training will help reduce the risk of them killing kiwi. It is no guarantee and does not make a dog ‘bird-safe’ - but it does make a difference.  

 “It is amazing how community groups and agencies have heeded the call to help ensure we do not lose kiwi. The tireless efforts of people trapping stoats has increased the survival of chicks from less than 10% to more like 50% in some managed areas,” says Wendy Sporle, BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust’s National Mentor for Advocacy. “If the adults are killed by dogs then all this work is undone – and further compounded by the fact that each pair of kiwi could have had many chicks during their fifty year lifespan.”

 “The sad thing is that dog predation is avoidable and we, as dog owners can make a huge difference for kiwi. This is why BNZ Save the Kiwi is asking dog owners to get on board and help – we still have a lot of work to do and their support is a vital part of this.”

 To find out more about kiwi aversion training and how you can enrol your dog, visit www.savethekiwi.org.nz

ENDS

For filming and photo opportunities, for interview opportunities or for further information please contact

Hannah de Valda, public relations consultant to BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust, 021 265 6655, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Editorial Information: 

BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust was established in November 2002 by Bank of New Zealand, Forest & Bird and the Department of Conservation, building on a sponsorship relationship that started in 1991. BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust is responsible for public awareness and education, fundraising, sponsorship and grant allocations for kiwi recovery nationally. In 2010 alone, nearly $900,000 was allocated to community and DOC kiwi projects. Nearly $6 million has been granted for kiwi work in total. This money has come from BNZ, its staff, customers and supporters of BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust.

Everyone can play a role in saving kiwi, whether you live near kiwi populations or not, by:

¨      Not taking dogs into bush areas that are known to have kiwi populations, unless you must and if so, ensuring they are on a leash.

¨      Making a donation to BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust at any Bank of New Zealand store or ATM or online with credit card at www.savethekiwi.org.nz

¨      Volunteering your time at a local kiwi protection group or habitat restoration project

¨      Not dumping unwanted cats or ferrets in the wild

¨      Choosing a Save the Kiwi EFTPOS card or cheque book if you are a BNZ customer, which provides an annual donation to the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust.