Rose Paraha pleads guilty after dog kills four kiwi at Wharengaere Bay
A Northland woman has pleaded guilty to owning a dog that killed four kiwi in December at an isolated Bay of Islands bay, her second such conviction.
What happened
Rose Paraha, 55, admitted the charge in Kaikohe District Court last week after her dog, a female pitbull-cross named Heaven, killed four kiwi around 27 December at Wharengaere Bay on Purerua Peninsula. DNA testing of saliva found on the dead birds identified the dog. Two dogs were seized from Paraha's home in January; only one could be linked to the kiwi deaths. This is Paraha's second conviction for owning a dog that killed wildlife. In 2019, she pleaded guilty to owning a dog that caused the deaths of six kiwi, some found on the lawn outside her home, and was ordered to pay $300 in reparations. Wharengaere Bay has been a hotspot for kiwi maulings, with the Department of Conservation estimating 20 deaths caused by dogs last year alone. Purerua Peninsula is home to one of the biggest populations of North Island brown kiwi in the country and has the highest kiwi call count recorded in New Zealand.
Why it matters
This case fits a pattern of rising dog-related incidents across New Zealand that has prompted government and council action. A Dog Control Act review paper began consultation in late August, and since then multiple councils have tightened enforcement while dog attacks have increased in several regions. Paraha's second conviction for the same offence at the same location, despite a 2019 penalty and dog destruction, underscores the persistence of the problem and the enforcement challenges wildlife protection agencies face.
Follow the whole thread: Hastings roaming dog laws
Key facts
- Rose Paraha, 55, pleaded guilty in Kaikohe District Court
- Four kiwi killed around 27 December at Wharengaere Bay, Purerua Peninsula
- Dog was female pitbull-cross named Heaven, identified by DNA testing of saliva
- Second conviction for Paraha; 2019 conviction involved six kiwi deaths
- DOC estimated 20 kiwi deaths from dogs at Wharengaere Bay last year
What happens next
Paraha is due to be sentenced in January.
Primary source: Kaikohe District Court charge and proceedings
Covered byRNZNZ Herald1NewsOtago Daily TimesNot covered byStuffNewstalk ZBNewsroomThe SpinoffBusinessDeskinterest.co.nz
Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.
What outlets are saying
RNZ
Northland woman pleads guilty after dog kills four kiwi
It is Rose Paraha's second conviction for owning a dog that killed wildlife – in 2019, she pleaded guilty to owning a dog that caused the deaths of six kiwi.
Otago Daily Times
Northland woman pleads guilty after dog kills four kiwi
1News
Northland woman pleads guilty after dog kills four kiwi
It is Rose Paraha's second conviction for owning a dog that killed wildlife – in 2019, she pleaded guilty to owning a dog that caused the deaths of six kiwi.
NZ Herald
Northland woman pleads guilty after dog kills four kiwi
The Department of Conservation estimated dogs killed 20 kiwi at Wharengaere Bay last year.