HONOLULU – Last week a couple of off-leash dogs approached a seal pup resting in a coastal area of O‘ahu, threatening the animal, according to a Wednesday news release from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The seal wasn’t injured, though, thanks to an anonymous team member from Hawai‘i Marine Animal Rescue, who intervened. The dog’s owner was cited by the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE).
“Dogs, by instinct, chase things, and in the case of resting Hawaiian monk seals and other wildlife, this natural trait can have serious and even deadly consequences,” A DLNR spokesperson said in the Wednesday release. “Anyone walking their dogs on Hawai‘i’s beaches should keep them on leash at all times.”
Loose dogs have been documented killing endangered, ground-nesting seabirds, have been known to chase nene, and harass other animals.
Nearly six years ago, in July 2014, a two-week-old monk seal pup was killed by two at-large dogs on the north shore of Kaua‘i. According to NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, it appears the mother attempted to defend her pup, and suffered bite injuries as well. Two other pups and one other mother seal in the area also had dog bite lacerations and punctures. One pup was treated for the injuries by NOAA and DLNR.
Two weeks prior to the Kaua‘i attack, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) wildlife cameras captured images of the two dogs roaming the same area. Both dogs were captured with live traps, tested negative for disease, and surrendered to the Humane Society.
Last summer, officials caught two loose German Shepherds on the same beach as a newborn pup, likely averting another fatality. No owners were in sight.
Report off-leash dogs to: 643-DLNR or use the free DLNRTip app.
