Farmer's sign's threat to kill dogs upsets boy and mother

A farmer's sign at Whare Flat warning dogs would be shot left a 6-year-old anxious that his pet would catch a bullet if left to wander. Photo / Otago Daily Times

A Dunedin woman says an aggressive sign threatening to shoot people's pets erected at the entrance to a popular Dunedin walking track is unacceptable and left her child anxious.

Rochelle Crossman was out for a walk at Whare Flat with her 6-year-old son, when they came across a sign that read, "Dogs must be leashed if caught chasing sheep they will be shot!"

She said the sign distracted them from what should have been a relaxing walk through native bush, and left her son worried their pet labradoodle would be killed if it strayed more than a few metres from them.

Crossman said they did not see any sheep on the walk.

She believed it would have been within the rights of the farmer to define his private property, and she was "100%" supportive of him taking measures to protect his sheep.

But she took issue with the tone of the sign which she termed "unacceptable".

It was "scary" and overly aggressive.

"It just doesn't seem like it should be something that should be at the start of a nice family walk that's run by the DCC," she said.

She had complained to the council on January 24 and received no response to her follow-up on February 9.

On Tuesday, a council spokesman said they were aware of the complaint but staff had visited the site several times and the sign appeared to have been removed.

A nearby resident said the sign was removed on the morning of February 16 and said the situation was "really strange".