Brad Windust's precious German shorthaired pointer pup Milo quickly grew into a skilled feral cat detector dog. Photo / NZME
The loss of one of Northland’s most renowned working dogs has left her handler, Brad Windust, reflecting on a partnership that helped protect some of this country’s most vulnerable wildlife.
Milo, a German Shorthaired Pointer trained to detect feral cats, died aged 11 in October.
Windust shared an emotional account of their working life with the Northern Advocate.
Milo was more than just a loveable dog – she was a vital part of New Zealand’s conservation effort, Windust said.
As the only fully certified cat detection dog in the North Island during her career, she was highly sought after.
Milo’s nose led her across rugged terrain, remote islands, and fragile ecosystems, helping to safeguard endangered species from the threat of feral cats.
The duo’s journey began nearly a decade ago when Windust, then a beekeeper, made a call to the late Scott Theobald, the mastermind behind using pest detection dogs as monitoring tools for the development of pest-free islands.
That call led Windust into the Department of Conservation’s elite Conservation Dogs programme, and Milo into a life of service.
Training Milo was no small feat and required all his focus so Windust even rehomed his beloved pack of pig dogs.
He dedicated hours each day to Milo’s development, eventually earning full certification after rigorous testing.
“Luckily for Milo, I was already involved with a wildlife protection group in the beautiful Bay of Islands. We had trapped over 100 cats at the time, but they were still pouring in from outside the small protected area.”
Milo had to detect cat scent while ignoring distractions like kiwi, penguins, and possums – a skill that made her indispensable in the field.
“She was like a dog on steroids. She could jump like a kangaroo and had endless energy. At times, I wondered why they recommended this breed - but they were right. She had the stamina to go for weeks in the roughest terrain,” Windust said.
From the Bay of Islands to the Chatham Islands, and even the subantarctic Auckland Islands, Milo’s work helped protect endangered species like the world’s rarest seabird the taiko, Chatham oystercatcher, and most notably the parea - Chathams wood pigeon - which was nearly extinct with fewer than 40 birds but now numbers more than 600 thanks to cat control.
Milo’s ability to locate elusive feral cats – even those that avoided traps – made her a critical asset in conservation efforts.
On one mission, Milo located a feral cat on Motuihe Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, before they’d even disembarked their boat.
Another time, she found a dead cat on pest-free Moutohora Island, in the Bay of Plenty, prompting a helicopter retrieval for autopsy before its stomach contents were dissolved.
The cat had ingested a rat but had fortunately done so before washing up dead on the island.
Milo’s work wasn’t without danger. One night on the Auckland Islands, where Windust and Milo were tasked with finding a GPS-collared tomcat named Saddam Pussein, a roaring sea lion suddenly crashed through the undergrowth, shaking their tent.
“I sat there with a knife in one hand and my other over Milo’s muzzle, trying to keep her quiet,” Windust said.
Her least favourite terrain was the sharp scoria of Auckland’s Rangitoto Island, which was really hard on her paw pads.
Despite the challenges, the rewards were immense, he said. To see predator-free places where birds don’t know fear and vegetation was untouched by pests, was like stepping back in time, Windust said.
“To think that this is what the 50,000ha mainland could be like one day.
“And knowing Milo helped make that possible ... it’s hard to put into words,” Windust said.
One of Milo’s final assignments and a fitting legacy to her career, was in Fiordland’s Milford Sound, where conservation efforts had created a thriving haven for native birds. Windust counted 21 species during their two-week stay.
Milo officially retired in mid-2021 after eight years of service. She was still working hard but it was taking her longer to recover. Windust told Milo she’d earned the sofa.
Her loss has hit him deeply, and her absence also leaves a notable gap in New Zealand’s conservation toolkit.
“She’d worked so hard for the wildlife wellbeing of this country,” Windust said.
“She was my best mate, and she changed the course of my life. I just hope her story helps people see what’s at stake - and what’s possible.”
Meanwhile, Windust continues his conservation work with his other dog Wero - one of only three certified mustelid (stoat and weasel) detection dogs in New Zealand.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent reporting on court proceedings in Gisborne and on the East Coast.