More than 50 people and about 45 dogs gathered in Cromwell on Sunday to protest the Central Otago District Council’s plan to fell trees at a popular dog walking pine forest in Sandflat Rd. Photos: suppliedAll Cromwell residents may bear the brunt of the town’s only large off-leash dog exercise area closing, a dog behaviour specialist says. Zoomies Dog Training & Adventures owner Lisa Telle said there were fights between dogs and lots of barking. Miss Telle said the council had no plans for the recreation site and it claimed the trees were unsafe. Emily Honey-Fergusson and Rob Garrett and dog Willow joined the protest against the tree-felling decision.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 18, 2026 16:02 UTC