Poison is the only solution for the feral dog problem in the Far North, according to one local man.
Cheeky Yates announced his solution in a community meeting in Houhora last month, saying the best way to resolve the growing problem with feral dogs killing livestock was to shoot or poison them.
Yates revealed he has been laying poison-soaked tampons to kill the dogs - and spoke to the Northland Age on Tuesday to clarify his comments.
"I'm not here for any glory and I'm not a hero, I'm just someone who is concerned about what's going on up there with those dogs," he said.
Yates says he believes a number of the feral dogs were once domesticated but have left their homes due to ill-treatment and are now running wild.
"There are bloody corgis, blue heelers and kelpies up there running wild. The Queen's own dogs are out there hunting!"
He says it's only a matter of time before someone is mauled or killed.
Farmer Anne-Marie Nilsson says although she doesn't agree with Yates' methods, something needs to be done about the dogs.
"There have been all sorts of dogs up here from corgis pinching lambs to other smaller dogs like Jack Russell crosses, mongrel forest and scrub dogs."
But the Department of Conservation says framing the dogs as "feral" and "wild" is distracting from the issues.
"Dogs can be man's best friend, but when not controlled, can quickly revert to their natural instincts as hunters and go rogue, causing economic, environmental and social impacts as demonstrated recently," Kaitaia operations manager Meirene Hardy-Birch said.
"DoC's focus has been to ascertain the breadth and depth of the dog problem."
But Nilsson says there's an easy solution: get the Government to change the laws so there is a marked difference between a domestic dog and a feral one.
"We need to be able to deal with feral dogs in an appropriate manner."
