Health authorities have issued a public health warning for all eastern Auckland and Hauraki Gulf beaches following the deaths of two dogs, sea birds and fish.

People are advised against swimming or taking children to any beaches in the region because an unknown poison is suspected to have caused the deaths of animals from Whangateau to Onetangi.

Waiheke vet Susan Crow is advising people and their pets to stay out of the water after a dog became sick after swimming at Waiheke’s northern beaches.

Local vets and government ministries are unclear as to what is causing animal deaths on Hauraki Gulf beaches.

North Shore City Council reported two dogs died after eating something on North Shore beaches and many penguins, large sea birds and fish are being found dead on the regions coastlines.

Auckland City Council were not expecting to close beaches as Gulf News went to press but are advising people to be particularly careful with dogs and children on beaches and to avoid eating shellfish collected locally, and avoid removing seawater for any use such as in fish tanks.

There is concern that the animal deaths are related and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Biosecurity (MAF) cannot rule out micro-algae poisoning until further tests have been done on the dead animals found throughout the Hauraki Gulf.

However, MAF Biosecurity’s animal response team senior advisor Naya Braingenberg said that it is unlikely the deaths are related, despite there being no diagnostics available for fish or birds. Testing has been hampered by the lack of fresh fish and bird samples and previous samples were too degraded to autopsy.

“It is still an investigation at this stage. Testing around the (first) dog has been inconclusive but it didn’t show evidence of a micro-algae poisoning,” said Ms Braingenberg. “We feel that it’s unlikely that they are related but we do need to make sure whether these deaths are related or not. Details are evolving daily.”

MAF Biosecurity is helping local authorities with advice and diagnostic work.

Meanwhile the North Shore City Council is posting warning signs on beaches.

“This appears to be a little more widespread than we first thought. North Shore City Council are working with the Department of Conservation, local vets and MAF to try and determine what is going on,” says North Shore City Council’s Rob Pitney.

The North Shore Council’s environmental protection team leader Duffy Visser said that the dog that died on Monday ate something, began vomiting and died within minutes.

The Auckland Regional Council reported 70 per cent of cockles are dead on Whangateau Peninsula.

Gulf News advised the North Shore City Council of the sick dog and the bird and fish deaths on Waiheke and advised Auckland City Council that more than usual numbers of penguins, large sea birds and fish have been reported dead on the island’s beaches.

Waiheke vet Susan Crow says the dog that fell in the water at Onetangi Beach on Sunday had the same symptoms as the dogs that died after visiting Browns Bay and Cheltenham beaches.

The Waiheke dog’s owner Bill Singh says his dog Max had suddenly fallen ill after swimming in Waiheke’s northern beaches.
“One minute he was playing and the next minute he virtually couldn’t walk.”

Mr Singh had taken Max on walks between Oneroa Beach and Matiatia and later to Onetangi Beach.

During the walk he noticed several dead penguins, he said. Test results are still due from Max’s illness but an overdose of seawater has not been ruled out.

Dr Crow says the cause of the deaths is yet to be determined and she advises people to keep their pets and themselves out of the water.

She says if your dogs become ill after being at the beach, report it to your local vet. However, local councils are the first place to go to regarding beach closures and signage.

MAF Biosecurity’s Ms Braingenberg said, “We need members of the public to report penguin, bird, fish and especially dolphin deaths to the MAF Emergency Pest and Disease Hotline 0800 809966.”

To report sick dogs or pets please contact Dr Crow at Vets on Waiheke in Ostend on 021 2444730 or 372 7630 or Waiheke Veterinarian Services in Oneroa on 372 8484. •

Minka Firth and Sean Gillespie