Conservation dog convention will have noses to the ground

Auckland Council’s biosecurity dog team is gathering this week with their counterparts from the Department of Conservation and private contractors across the country for a ‘nose to tail’ convention. Sixteen certified pest detection dogs and their handlers from around the country will spend a week in camp (16–20 October) on Motutapu Island. “Within Auckland we have some of the most visited pest-free islands in New Zealand, so having these canines on the frontline who are mobile, fast and versatile is a critical part of our biosecurity detection capability,” says Liz Brooks of Auckland Council’s Biosecurity team.