Bay Harbour: August 29, 2024
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Thursday <strong>August</strong> <strong>29</strong> <strong>2024</strong> <strong>Bay</strong> <strong>Harbour</strong> News<br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
Going into Port Hills red zone<br />
a safety risk, rangers warn<br />
INCREASING use of red-zoned<br />
land in the Port Hills by the<br />
public has city council rangers<br />
fearing the worst.<br />
Multiple areas across the Port<br />
Hills are red-zoned due to the<br />
risk of death and injury to the<br />
public.<br />
However, city<br />
council rangers<br />
are seeing<br />
increasing<br />
unpermitted<br />
use of restricted<br />
areas by<br />
residents,<br />
including young<br />
people and<br />
community groups.<br />
The council has fenced off<br />
Dave Little<br />
areas and placed warning signs<br />
regarding the danger, but fences<br />
and signs are typically stolen or<br />
damaged within days.<br />
Red zone manager Dave Little<br />
said the rock wall in Sumner is<br />
one example of an area being<br />
accessed, despite the risk to the<br />
public.<br />
“We have noticed people<br />
riding horses, and kids have<br />
been building bike tracks and<br />
jumps in recent weeks. We<br />
understand the appeal of these<br />
spaces, but it is just not safe,<br />
and no-one should be in there<br />
without training or approval.<br />
“Other areas in the Port Hills<br />
red zone are being accessed by<br />
the community for planting<br />
but these areas are restricted for<br />
a reason – they are dangerous.”<br />
The public is at risk of death or<br />
injury from boulders dislodging<br />
due to changing weather<br />
conditions or land movement in<br />
a quake.<br />
An example of this risk<br />
DANGEROUS: The city<br />
council is reminding<br />
people to stay out of redzoned<br />
land in the Port Hills<br />
for their own safety, after<br />
noticing an increase in use.<br />
PHOTO: NEWSLINE<br />
happened in March, when<br />
a boulder came loose and<br />
smashed through several<br />
barriers on Mulgans Track in<br />
Clifton.<br />
Little said city council<br />
staff want to see increased<br />
community awareness of the<br />
risk of death and injury in the<br />
Port Hills red zone.<br />
“Our rangers are out working<br />
in the community, and they<br />
certainly don’t want to see<br />
people hurt in these spaces. We<br />
need the community to stay out<br />
of Port Hills red-zoned land for<br />
everyone’s sake and peace of<br />
mind.”<br />
Over the next two years,<br />
the city council will reassess<br />
the risks to establish whether<br />
community plantings can be<br />
held in appropriate areas, but<br />
this process is site specific and<br />
will take time.<br />
NEWS 3<br />
NZ Post’s<br />
return a<br />
‘win-win’<br />
situation<br />
• From page 1<br />
“Retaining key services is<br />
so important for a town like<br />
Akaroa. We want it to be an<br />
attractive place for people to live,<br />
work and raise their families so<br />
having amenities like NZ Post<br />
is an important component of<br />
that,” Fields said.<br />
“I’m thrilled we’ve been able<br />
to work with NZ Post on what<br />
we anticipate will be a long-term<br />
arrangement; the advocacy<br />
from Nigel Harrison and Asif<br />
Hussain, Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū<br />
Banks Peninsula Community<br />
Board members, has been key to<br />
making this happen.<br />
“This is a win-win for the local<br />
community, for this beautiful<br />
heritage building and for visiting<br />
tourists, who we know the town<br />
is increasingly dependent on.<br />
“It’s also entirely fitting that<br />
postal services will once again<br />
return to the historic post office.”<br />
The heritage post office<br />
building was built during World<br />
War 1 on the site of the first<br />
Akaroa Post Office, which was<br />
built in 1856.<br />
Paws & Peace - Fear Free Veterinary Care at Kōwhai Vet<br />
When it comes to the well-being of our<br />
cherished furry friends, we often focus<br />
on their physical health, ensuring they receive<br />
the best preventative healthcare, vaccinations,<br />
or treatment when they are sick or injured.<br />
But how often do we consider the emotional<br />
wellbeing of our pets during those veterinary<br />
visits?<br />
At Kōwhai Vet, we understand the emotional<br />
impact of a visit to the vet and have made it<br />
our mission to provide fear-free patient care,<br />
ensuring the utmost comfort and relaxation for<br />
both pets and their owners.<br />
Understanding FAS: Fear, Anxiety<br />
and Stress<br />
A trip to the vet can be a daunting experience<br />
for animals and their owners alike, often<br />
leading to high levels of fear, anxiety, and<br />
Dogs<br />
RELAXED ANATOMY STRESSED<br />
Soft; loose<br />
Almond shape; normal pupils; soft eye<br />
Face<br />
Eyes<br />
Skin taut; wrinkled brow; lips pulled<br />
back; tense jaw<br />
Dilated pupils; prolonged staring or<br />
avoiding eye contact; whale eye<br />
Neutral; back, but not flattened; loose Ears Out to the side; flat against head<br />
Flexible neck to tail<br />
Level with topline; slightly above<br />
or below; wagging<br />
Mouth open or closed; lips - long, soft,<br />
commissures relaxed<br />
Spine/<br />
Posture<br />
Tail<br />
Mouth<br />
stress, collectively referred to as ‘FAS.’<br />
When animals are fearful, they face limited<br />
responses to a scary situation – fight, flight,<br />
freeze, or fidget. Recognising and addressing<br />
these emotional responses is at the core of our<br />
approach to care.<br />
Creating a Stress-Free Environment<br />
At Kōwhai Vet, our primary goal is to keep FAS<br />
levels as low as possible during every visit<br />
to our clinic, ensuring a calm and soothing<br />
atmosphere for both pets and owners.<br />
Here are some of the ways we try to<br />
achieve this:<br />
Education: We provide pet owners with<br />
valuable guidance on preparing their pets for<br />
a trip to the vet, helping to kickstart the visit<br />
on a positive note.<br />
Rigid and/or stiff<br />
High above topline; tucked; wagging<br />
Mouth closed; lips - short, tense;<br />
snarl; lip lift; bite<br />
Caudal higher than shoulders; back flat<br />
Above topline; soft, inverted U curve below<br />
topline; gentle back and forth movement<br />
Calming Scents and Pet Pheromones:<br />
Our clinic is infused with calming scents<br />
and pet pheromones, creating a serene<br />
atmosphere to ease pets’ anxiety upon arrival.<br />
Long Appointments: We allocate ample<br />
time for appointments, giving your pet the<br />
opportunity to adjust to the new environment<br />
gradually. Throughout the visit, we closely<br />
monitor signs of FAS and take measures to<br />
reduce stress whenever possible.<br />
Pre-Visit Calming Medications: For highly<br />
anxious pets, we offer pre-visit calming<br />
medications to reduce anxiety levels and<br />
ensure a more comfortable visit.<br />
Positive Reinforcement: We offer a variety of<br />
treat options to create a positive experience<br />
during the visit, helping to alleviate your pet’s<br />
anxiety and build trust.<br />
Gentle Handling: Our clinic employs minimal<br />
restraint techniques to handle pets during<br />
procedures, ensuring their comfort and<br />
security throughout.<br />
Cats<br />
RELAXED ANATOMY STRESSED<br />
Normal pupils Eyes Dilated pupils<br />
Forward Ears Out to the side; back against head<br />
Spine/<br />
Posture<br />
Tail<br />
Back arched; crouched; legs under body<br />
Tucked; Curled around body;<br />
forceful movement; thumping<br />
Closed Mouth Open; panting; hissing, growling, spitting<br />
Pain Relief and Calming Medications:<br />
In cases where a procedure might cause<br />
discomfort or a patient is displaying high levels<br />
of FAS, we consider the use of additional pain<br />
relief or calming medications to maintain your<br />
pet’s relaxation.<br />
Dedication to Fear-Free Care<br />
At Kōwhai Vet, many of our staff members<br />
have already achieved, or are actively working<br />
towards their Fear-Free Certification. This<br />
demonstrates our unwavering commitment to<br />
providing the highest standard of care for your<br />
pets.<br />
Our dedication to fear-free patient care is not<br />
just a commitment; it’s our promise. We aim to<br />
make every visit to our clinic as low-stress and<br />
relaxing as possible, ensuring both you and<br />
your beloved pets have a positive experience.<br />
Contact us today to experience the difference<br />
that compassionate, fear-free care can make in<br />
your pet’s life.<br />
Your pets will thank you, and we will, too.<br />
Consultations • Surgery & Diagnostics • Locally Owned & Operated<br />
122 Opawa Road, Opawa, Christchurch. Ph: 03 337 5445<br />
Visit our website: www.kowhaivet.co.nz<br />
WE ARE OPEN:<br />
Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 6:30pm,<br />
Saturday, 9:00am - 12:00pm
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