Dogs and wildlife

We caught up first with Tony Houhlias and instead of talking all things sport we discovered his other interest – Ned his Australian Kelpie. Ned enjoys a great life in the Park where he is taken for walks twice a day. These include Wentworth Common, Louise Sauvage Pathway, Newington to Woo-la-ra and the Riverwalk.

These walks are not only good exercise for both Tony & Ned but also a way to connect with nature. Understanding that Ned has to be kept on a lead is important. They often encounter various wildlife such as bush-turkeys that Ned sometimes mistakenly thinks are black sheep. They also visit special off leash areas such as Newington, Bicentennial Park and P5 for Ned to stretch out and catch the frisbee, his favourite toy. I’m told that Ned agrees that the Park provides a fantastic place to escape from his urban lifestyle and reminds him of his farming heritage. 

As part of the Visitor Programs team, Eva is passionate about nature and helping others to understand and love nature too. Dixie is a rescue doggo and it is not known what Dixies’ life was like before finding her forever home with Eva.

This makes her conscious of how Dixie may react when out and about. She is fine with people but is cranky around other dogs and can’t fight her Jack Russell nature when she sees birds while out on walks. That’s why Dixie is always on the leash when outside the house. Eva encourages Dixie to explore dog friendly natural environments, as she loves jumping up on rocks and navigating terrain, but she is always held on a short leash.

Jen is part of the Environment and Ecology team and her friend Bear is a Border Collie. Bear is full of energy, nerves and needs lots of activity! So, in addition to long walks and runs, Jen’s throwing arm is kept in constant training to keep Bears ball addiction satisfied.

Due to her anxiety, dog parks can be scary, and Jen always keep Bear on a lead in case they meet another dog. Jen knows that dogs can be predators of wildlife and that dog poo can increase nutrient load in natural areas. She tries to be a responsible dog owner and keep to the path and pick up after her companion. Jen says that she sees spending time with Bear and visiting ecologically special places as separate activities. When she does go out to see wildlife, she leaves Bear at home.