15 January 2021
Media: Stuff
Topic: Te Ahi Tupua sculpture
Enquiry
I went back to the Taxpayers' Union in the wake of receiving the Gurit report on the sculpture to ask if they would comment, having requested said document and raised safety concerns.
Jordan Williams has claimed another report exists - Testing and Installation Report.
He has further claimed the Gurit report release is a "red herring" and In short, any assessment of safety needs to consider both reports.
I wanted to ask:
Does this second report exist, and if so can we see it?
*NOTE: this enquiry is the latest in a series from Stuff relating to the sculpture.
See 13 January enquiry HERE
See 14 January enquiry HERE
Response
See below from Stewart Brown re your follow-up enquiry. Notes/references in italics and square brackets are for your additional assistance Benn, not part of comment from Stewart:
The report provided to you yesterday [that's GU7231 - 802] is the final report from engineering experts Gurit following full structural testing which concludes that Te Ahi Tupua exceeds design loads by 620%.
The other report you are referring to [that's GU7231 - 801 - see attached and as referenced in the cover letter from Gurit which you also received a copy of yesterday] is an earlier report relating to earlier testing.
The final report references this earlier testing [see pages 3 (summary) and 5 (overview and introduction)] and notes that this led to additional full-scale testing. The final report [Benn that's the one you got yesterday - GU7231 - 802] was the result of that additional full-scale testing and concludes that Te Ahi Tupua exceeds the design loads by 620%.
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Media: Rotorua Weekender
Topic: Animal Control over summer
Enquiry
- Is summer a busy time of year for the Rotorua Pound? Why/why not? How busy has this summer been so far compared to previous years?
- How many dogs does the pound currently have and are you able to say about how many you would have come through in a year?
- What are some of the common reasons dogs end up in the pound?
- Are there any ways in which the community can help the pound with their work or help to keep dogs from reaching the pound?
- Is there anything you would like to add?
Response
From Rotorua Lakes Council's, Team Lead Animal Control, Dylan Wright:
Summer is a busy time of year for Council's Animal Control team. The warm weather and longer daylight hours mean people are out-and-about with their dogs and families more, which can create increased opportunities for dogs to run off or get into situations where Animal Control needs to be called in.
Additionally, people tend to go away at this time of year and sadly we often see dogs left at home, alone, for long stretches of time which can lead to barking complaints and increased roaming.
Currently the Pound is holding about 23 dogs and has capacity to hold up to around 100 dogs.
From 14 January 2020 to 14 January 2021, 1066 dogs were impounded.
Dogs are impounded for various reasons - they may be picked up as a stray or for roaming, seized by Animal Control due to safety concerns, surrendered to Council, or dumped at the Pound. We work hard to reunite dogs with owners where possible and appropriate, but many dogs are never claimed and our team does their best to find them new homes.
The key responsibilities of a dog owner are to care for their dog, keep other people and animals safe around their dog, and to ensure dogs are secured on properties at all times. Roaming dogs can lead to attacks, which is what our team works hard to minimise.
If people are thinking about getting a dog, the Rotorua Pound Homeless Hounds Facebook group (@HomelessHoundsRotorua) is a great place to look. This group was set up in early 2020 as another way to find new homes for dogs that have come into the Pound and are suitable and ready for adoption. The group has some great success stories and provides information about requirements and fees, and details about the Pound. The Pound is open to the public Monday to Friday between 2pm and 4.30pm if people would like to meet a dog they have seen in the group.
Part of the Animal Control team's job is to educate the community about dog safety.
It is important for people to remember that any dog can bite if it is hurt, frightened or teased - even the friendliest dog.
Most dog-related injuries happen to children, in their own home or the home of a relative or a friend and by a dog that they know.
It is important for parents and caregivers to ensure small children are supervised around dogs at all times because they can unwittingly provoke an attack. For example, by trying to take a bone away from a dog, hugging or kissing the dog, or by over-exciting a dog with games which can lead to the dog jumping on, or chasing, the child.
Dog attacks and dog-related injuries are traumatic for all involved. Teaching children basic safety habits around dogs, with parents and caregivers showing the way, can help prevent these situations from occurring.
Dog safety tips for kids can be found at www.dogsafety.govt.nz
*Arrangements were also made for a photo