We all love our dogs and want to take them with us to interesting places. We want them to roam free and enjoy the great outdoors with us. But the fact is, there are places that dogs don’t belong:

Fledgling Weka. Photo by angrysunbird.

The [New Zealand] Department of Conservation (DOC) says it has laid three charges against a Hauraki Gulf resident whose dogs killed 14 endangered weka at the Kawau Island Historic Reserve in May [2009].

The man is charged with allowing his dogs to enter a DOC reserve on two separate occasions, and with being the owner of dogs that attacked and killed protected wildlife — a charge that carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and/or a $20,000 fine. …

The North Island weka is a nationally endangered sub-species.

[Via : Man charged after dog killed 14 weka | Stuff.co.nz.]

It’s easy folks: keep dogs out of places where they aren’t supposed to go. Take them to an approved beach or park for a run, and help protect our endangered wildlife.