Heaphy Track recovery on agenda
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The middle section of the Heaphy Track, which traverses both board areas and is one of the ‘great walks’ of New Zealand, remains closed following the February storm.
Eight months after the storm took out or severely damaged three bridges, the DOC website says people cannot currently use the track as a through walk. It is closed between the Heaphy Hut and James Mackay Hut.
“This section of the track will be closed until these bridges can be replaced or repaired. There is currently no bridge over the Heaphy River,” DOC advises.
In an update a few days ago DOC also warned that the track between Scott’s Beach and Heaphy Hut has been damaged from recent storms.
“There are multiple slips, narrow sections of track and slumps on the track. Work is under way to repair the damage.”
* Public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!