Dog walkers - NAPIER UPDATE

Megan from Havelock North

UPDATE at 4.40pm Monday 28 January
Latest news on Anderson Park Waterways.
All ponds and waterways at Anderson Park, Napier, are closed to dogs until further notice. It has been confirmed that the substance in the park’s ponds and waterways is a type of toxic algae. Warning signs have been erected at the park, and owners of dogs registered in Napier have been contacted via email.
Napier City Council will continue to monitor the situation.

Post from Sunday 27 January
🏴‍Possible Cyanobacteria in the Anderson Park waterways - Please keep dogs away from the area until we give the all-clear. 🏴‍☠️

🐕 The Problem: Our environmental team has been called to Anderson Park to check a blue-green substance that COULD be cyanobacteria. If it is cyanobacteria, then it's potentially FATAL TO DOGS.
🐕 What we're doing about it: We'll get test results back tomorrow (Monday) morning. In the meantime we've put signs up around the area, and we've got a vacuum truck in to get rid of as much of the substance as possible.
🐕 What we're asking of you: Until we know what the substance is, we're taking a precautionary approach and assuming it is cyanobacteria. Do not let your dogs drink from or swim in the Pond near the model railway and lighthouse, or the creek next to the Anderson Park Playground.
🐕 If your dog shows any of the following signs after drinking from, or swimming or paddling in water, contact your vet IMMEDIATELY and tell them you're concerned about blue-green algae:
🔹Vomiting/being sick
🔹 Diarrhoea
🔹 Seizures/fitting
🔹 Weakness/collapse/unconsciousness
🔹 Disorientation/confusion
🔹 Drooling
🔹 Breathing difficulties

Cyanobacteria can occur in slow-flowing nutrient-rich water of high temperature, and some species can produce toxins that affect animals and humans. As a precaution, it is also recommended that people avoid contact with the water.