A woman who defied conservation law by taking several dogs into Tongariro National Park and posting photos publicly on social media, including one holding a pooch in front of a “no dogs” sign, has been fined $400.
Several images were shared to Facebook last month showing dogs playing in the snow within the boundaries of the dual World Heritage-listed national park.
In response to a comment on the post, the woman wrote: “My dogs loved loved it was a good few minutes of joy well worth being a law breaker (sic).” The post was later deleted.
Department of Conservation Tongariro operations manager Libby O’Brien said the infringement notice was a “no-brainer”.
“This person didn’t make a mistake, she showed blatant disregard for the law, for nature, for the mana of the dual World Heritage listed Tongariro National Park.
“I’ve written to the organisation associated with the Facebook page to express my concern and disappointment at its apparent endorsement of this behaviour.”
Under the National Parks Act 1980, dogs were not allowed in any national park, with the exception of guide dogs and dogs engaged in duties for the purposes of law, search and rescue, or for approved management purposes.
Dog owners, or those in control of a dog found in a national park were liable for infringement fines of up to $400. These included dogs in cars, or leashed or unleashed.
O’Brien said the woman’s “public mockery” of the law was “an affront and an insult” to those who valued Tongariro National Park.
“Millions of people connect deeply to this place, value its cultural heritage and its volcano-sculpted environment.
“For this woman to celebrate her lawbreaking is to insult the iwi, the community, the businesses, and our DOC rangers, who all work so hard to protect the nature and experience of this national park.”
