Watch out for these guys at the beach this summer

Heading to the beach for your summer holiday?

Watching your dog chasing birds at the beach might seem like harmless fun to you, but for threatened birds such as dotterel this can be the difference between life and death for the species with breeding birds scared off their nests, chicks and eggs damaged and breeding habitats destroyed.

So if you’re heading to the beach this summer, please keep your dog under control and respect any signage regarding leash rules especially around protected bird areas. There are teams of volunteers working really hard to protect these guys, and it’s the least we can do to play our part by not allowing our dogs to stuff that up.

Not only is it important for the birds welfare and survival, it’s also important for dog access across the board. The more we see owners pushing the boundaries and breaking existing rules, the more negativity that creates to dog ownership and access across the board and the more likely people are to support outright bans when they are proposed.

If you have any doubt of your ability to keep your dog and wildlife safe in dog friendly areas with your existing level of training, a biothane long line is your best friend at the beach, as well as taking some good treats with you to reward good choices your dog is making. For future summers, consider working with a trainer and to build general obedience around distractions, and pursuing avian avoidance training to further support your dogs ability to make safe choices around bird life.

If we all do our part, everyone can safely enjoy our awesome beaches together for many summer mornings and evenings to come.