The knowledge, behaviour and motivation of people walking dogs on Te Henga/Bethells Beach.
Nicholas Dyson 1* , Nina Page 1* , Jo Thorne 1 , Tracey Parsons 2 , Catherine Zangger 2 , Diane Fraser 1
1
School of Environmental & Animal Sciences, Unitec, &
2Auckland Council
Introduction
• Globally, approximately 30% of households own a dog [1]
• Beaches are popular open spaces for dogs to be exercised.
• New Zealand’s coastal habitat for ground nesting shorebirds, e.g.
endangered dotterel (tūturiwhatu) (Charadius obscurus) [2]
• Major threats are predominantly dogs causing: disturbance, egg
& chick predation, crushing, spread of disease and altering ecologies [3]
Mckeen, 2018
[1] Iojă, et.al., (2011). Landscape and Urban Planning, 103(1): 74-82.
[2] Bowes, et al., (2018). PARKS, The International Journal of Protected areas and Conservation, 24: 119-130.
[3] Glover et al., (2001). Landscape and Urban Planning, 103(3-4), 326-334.
Legislation
• By-laws in public areas to reduce adverse
affects of dogs are common around the world
• Rates of compliance are often disappointing
What do we need to know to change non- compliance?
• Who is walking their dogs on the Beach?
• Why on the beach?
• Do dog-walkers know the bylaws?
• What are the motivations for walking dogs on or off leash?
• Where do they find information?
To obtain the baseline information required to assist with management decisions to improve the dog walking compliance on Te Henga/Bethells Beach for the protection of the resident wildlife.
Aim: Pilot study
@boxer.bronson
Method
Study site
• Te Henga/Bethells Beach Jan/Feb 2021.
• The AC By-laws divide the beach into zones for the summer regulations.
• Zone A: dogs prohibited
• Zone B: dogs off leash,
• Zone C & D: dog on leash at all times during summer
• Zone E: dogs prohibited.
Auckland Council, 2020
Dogs Prohibited
Dogs Prohibited Off-leash
On-leash
Data Collection
Data was collected between January 2021 and February 2021.
WEEK DATA COLLECTION
1 Observations of dogs being walked on Te Henga/Bethells Beach and compliance with bylaws for on-or off-leash requirements recorded.
2 & 3 Survey of knowledge and motivations of dog-walkers in relation to walking dogs on Te Henga/ Bethells Beach
4 Observations of dogs being walked on Te Henga/Bethells Beach and compliance with bylaws for on-or off-leash requirements recorded.
7 Observations of dogs was not repeated, due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions
and results from week 4 observation
Total of 60 surveys
58% regarded themselves as living local to the beach 40% were from Auckland Only 1 person from outside of Auckland.
Who are dog walkers?
35
24
1 0
10 20 30 40
Local to the beach Auckland Outside of Auckland
Response Count
Participant's Answers
Q17. Where do you live?
Local
Auckland
63% walked their dog on
this beach one or more
times a week.
(194 responses from 60 participants)
"Close and convenient “
“Open spaces“
"Somewhere I enjoy walking"
"Scenery“
"Somewhere I can have my dog(s) off-leash“
Close and convienien
t
Open spaces
Somewher e I enjoy
walking
Scenery
Somewher e I can have my dog(s) off
leash
Safe
Few people around
Other (Please specify)
By-laws
Response
Frequency 35 31 31 29 27 16 15 9 1
Response
Percent 58% 52% 52% 48% 45% 27% 25% 15% 2%
35
31 31
29
27
16 15
9
1 0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Response Frequency
Participant's Answers
Q12. Why do you choose to walk your dog(s) on this beach? Select all that apply
Why walk dogs on Bethells Beach?
By-laws: Knowledge, Awareness & Compliance
• 90% YES
• 10% NO
Are you aware of Auckland Council by- laws for walking dogs
on beaches?
[VALUE] (90%)[VALUE]
(10%)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Yes No
Response Frequency (n=60)
Participant's Answers
Are you aware of the Auckland Council by-laws regarding dogs at this beach?
YES
NO
On-leash % Off-leash % Depends % No. Of
responses
Zone A:
Prohibited
47% 29% 24% 38
Zone B:
Off leash
21% 74% 5% 57
Zone C:
On-leash
54% 30% 16% 57
Zone D:
On-leash
50% 32% 18% 44
Zone E:
Prohibited
36% 45% 18% 22
During summer, do you have your dog(s) on- or off-leash? Dogs
Prohibited
Dogs Prohibited Off-leash
On-leash
36
1 18
5 0
10 20 30 40 50 60
Say they know the by-laws (n=54) Say they do not know the by-laws (n=6)
Number of People (count)
Knowledge of the by-laws
People who say they know the Dog by-laws and their ability to demonstrate this knowledge.
Can demonstrate knowledge of the rules
Can not demonstrate knowledge of the rules
• 90% were aware of the by-laws
• 67% actually demonstrated accurate knowledge
Perception vs Reality
Disparity between perceived knowledge and actual knowledge
• 10% were NOT aware of the by-laws
& most could not demonstrate
accurate knowledge
• Total of 55% identified they did not follow the by-laws (orange)
• 26% identified they followed the rules but did not accurately
identify the areas on the map.
19
6 18
15 2
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Can demonstrate knowledge of the correct rules (n=37)
Can not demonstrate knowledge of the correct rules (n=23)
N u mb er o f P eo p le (c o u n t)
People who can demonstrate knowledge of the rules vs actually following the rules
Follow the rules
Don't follow the rules
Don’t walk in on-leash area
Compliance with By-laws
Disparity between:
• Perceived & actual knowledge
• Knowledge and behaviour
71% of locals & 46% of Auckland residents correctly ID off-leash Zones
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Does not know where the off-leash area is correctly knows where the off-leash area is Does not follow the on-leash rule in areas C & D Follows the on-leash rule in areas C & D Is not aware of the Auckland Council By-laws Is aware of the Auckland Council By-laws
Does not know where the off-
leash area is
correctly knows where the off-
leash area is
Does not follow the on-leash rule
in areas C & D
Follows the on- leash rule in areas
C & D
Is not aware of the Auckland Council By-laws
Is aware of the Auckland Council
By-laws
Local to the beach 10 25 21 14 4 31
Auckland 13 11 11 13 2 22
Outside of Auckland 0 1 0 1 0 1
Knowledge and action in relation to place of residence
Local to the beach Auckland Outside of Auckland
Residence & Behaviour
Local Residents
90% know about By-laws
60% locals & 46% Auckland residents do not follow “on-
leash” regulations in Zones C&D.
Summary: Knowledge and Behaviour
• Disparity between perceived
knowledge and actual knowledge
• Disparity between knowledge and behaviour
• Suggest that locals are most likely to
not comply with the by-laws
Dogs, Dotterels and Human Motivations
• 66% identified Zone D
• 20% identified Zone C
• 5% identified Zone A
• 5% identified Zone B
• 15% identified Zone E
The wording of this question may have led to incorrect data
Where do the New Zealand dotterels nest?
82% responded YES: dogs have an
effect on the native birds on the beach
49
11
0 10 20 30 40 50
Yes No
Number of Responses
Respondant's Answers
Q10. Do you think dogs have an effect on native birds on beaches?
Do dogs have an effect on native birds?
YES
NO
29
22
12
4
0 10 20 30
Disturbance (mentions disturbing or scaring the
birds)
Predation (mentions catching/eating birds or
simiar)
Nest (mentions effects on the eggs or nest)
Other
Number of Responses
Answers
Q10a. If yes, what are these effects?
82% Yes there is an effect :
• 43% identified disturbance by dogs (scare the birds)
• 33% predation
• 18% effects on the nest or eggs
• 6% “Other”
5
4
2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
My dog doesn’t attack or affect birds
Not an issue (respondant has not seen any issues before, or does
not think dogs are an issue)
My dog stays away from the birds
Number of Responses
Respondant's Answers
Q10b. If no, why do you think there are no effects?
18% No there is no effect
• 45% "Dog does not attack or affect birds“
• 36% "Not an issue“
• 18% "Stayed away from birds"
Safety for birds More control over my dog(s)
Safety for my dog(s)
Safety for the public and/or other dogs
Following the dog walking by-
laws
Nothing Other
Response
Frequency 34 29 23 22 19 12 2
Response
Percent 57% 48% 38% 37% 32% 20% 3%
34
29
23 22
19
12
2 0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Response Frequency
Participant's Answers
Q9. What, if anything, do you see as beneficial about walking your dog(s) on a leash?Select all that apply
57% "Safety for birds" as the primary benefit
48% "More control over my dog(s)“
38% "Safety for my dog“
37% "Safety for the public &/or other dogs", 32% "Following the dog walking by-laws"
20% No benefit 3% "Other" benefits
Benefits of walking dogs
on leash
When do you put your dog(s) on a leash?
When we are in an on-leash area of the
beach
When I am heading back to the car/home
When they are not listening to my
commands
When there are birds around
When there are people around
When there are other dogs/dog walkers
around
My dog(s) is always on a leash
My dog(s) is never on
a leash Other
Response
Frequency 27 20 20 17 14 11 11 6 5
Response
Percent 45% 33% 33% 28% 23% 18% 18% 10% 8%
27
20 20
17
14
11 11
6 5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Response Frequency (n=60)
Participant's Answers
When do you put your dog(s) on a leash? Select all that apply
• 52% "My dog(s) cannot exercise properly“
• 32% "My dog(s) gets excited and pulls on the leash"
• 22% “nothing”
• 17% "It's unnatural for a dog to be on a leash"
• 2% “I don’t carry a leash”
My dog(s) cannot exercise properly
My dog(s) gets excited and pulls
on the leash Nothing It's unnatural for a dog to be on
a leash Other I don't carry a leash
Response
Frequency 31 19 13 10 5 1
Response
Percent 52% 32% 22% 17% 8% 2%
31
19
13
10
5
1 0
10 20 30 40
Response Frequency
Participant's Answers
Q8. What, if anything, do you find challenging about walking your dog(s) on a leash? Select all that apply
Summary: Motivations for having dogs on- or off-leash
• Majority of participants said that dogs do have an impact on birds
• Know that birds are safer with dogs on- leash
• Few actually do this
• Barriers to having dogs on leash:
• “Cannot exercise dog properly”
• “Gets excited and pulls on leash” Disparity between knowledge and
behaviour
By-laws Information Source
• 65% “Signage at beach”
• 45% “Auckland Council website”
Signage at the beach
Auckland Council website
Other dogs walkers/w
ord of mouth
Other (Please specify)
Local Board website
I haven't
Departmen t of Conservati on website
I don't know Response
Frequency 39 27 11 8 6 5 5 4 2
Response
Percent 65% 45% 18% 13% 10% 8% 8% 7% 3%
39
27
11
8
6 5 5
4
2 0
10 20 30 40
Response Frequency
Participant's Answers
Q14. Where do you look for information on the dog walking by-laws?
Select all that apply
By-law Information
Source
Summary: By-law Information Source
• Signage on beach & Auckland Council
Website are the most common source of information
• Improvements are needed both to
signage at beach and Auckland Council
website
Observation of dogs – Weeks 1 and 4
40 41
33
10 1
18 15
5 19
1
12
45
0 10 20 30 40 50
B (off-leash)
C1 (on-leash)
C2 (on-leash)
D (on-leash)
Frequency
Beach Area
Number of people walking on/off leash week 1
Off On N/A Both
35
30 28
6 1
9 8
3 2
0 3
31
0 10 20 30 40
B (off-leash)
C1 (on-leash)
C2 (on-leash)
D (on-leash)
Frequency
Beach Area
Number of people walking on/off leash week 4
Off On N/A Both
• No significant differences in the numbers of people walking dog(s) on or off leash in Areas C & D between weeks 1 and 4.
• Advocacy and surveying had no
effect on the behaviour of dog
walkers on the beach.
Summary of Findings
Walking dogs on Te Henga/Bethells Beach:
• Enjoyable open place which is conveniently close
• Disparity between perceived knowledge/actual knowledge
• High non-compliance with Te Henga/Bethells Beach dog walking by-laws
• “ On-leash Zone” is high motivator for having dogs on-leash
• Majority know that dogs impact birds & the benefits of dogs on-leash for bird safety,
• Low proportion following through with leashing dogs for benefit of birds
• Suggest that locals are more likely to be non-compliant
• Barriers to dogs on-leash: cannot exercise properly and dog pulls on- leash.
By-law Information:
• Main sources: Signs on beach & Auckland Council Website
Where to from here?
• Increase in the compliance may be achieved by changes in social norms, modelling of desired behaviours, clear communication of by-laws and expectations of the dog-walking community from a community-based approach.
• Frequent frustrated comments by participants about the planned provision of a dedicated off-leash dog
park at the beach, which had not eventuated.
What can be done?
Development of a multi-layered strategy:
• Testing of new simplified signage in new locations on the beach
• Simplification of information & summer/winter rules changed at beach and on website during the year.
• Testing of “Pledge Boards”
• Iwi/community meetings => Community “buy-in”
• Use of “Biodiversity Ambassadors”
• Enforcement of by-laws – last resort but may be needed
• Progress implementation of dedicated dog-walking park close to the beach
Further
Research
Acknowledgements
The researchers would like to thank Tracey Parsons and
Catherine Zangger of
Auckland Council for the opportunity to undertake this research.
In particular, they would like to thank the Waitakere
Ranges Local Board for funding the
project.
