Alton adopted Charlie while still working for Fire and Emergency, where he spent two decades fighting fires across Wellington and the Bay of Plenty. <\/p>\n
He expected the long-haired lurcher would eventually accompany him there until a job at Rotorua Airport changed his career path.<\/p>\n
Initially thinking, \u201cI can\u2019t take my dog to work now\u201d, Alton prepared to leave Charlie at home. <\/p>\n
But having only just adopted Charlie, Alton arranged with his new manager to bring the pup along.<\/p>\n
In his new job, Alton realised how significant the airport\u2019s bird problem was.<\/p>\n
Sitting on the shores of Lake Rotorua and neighbouring wetland reserves, the airport had one of the highest bird-strike and near-miss rates in the country despite extensive wildlife-management measures.<\/p>\n
Rotorua Airport used a range of bird deterrents to ensure safety, including pyrotechnics, reflective spinners, gas cannons, sounders, decoys, lasers and firearms.<\/p>\n
Alton had an idea: \u201cCharlie loves chasing things.\u201d<\/p>\n
And training began. <\/p>\n
First came acclimatisation to get Charlie used to the noise, movement and environment of the airport. He was taken on long-lead walks around the property, building confidence around aircraft.<\/p>\n
Rotorua Airport\u2019s Ben Alton with his dog Charlie, the only canine currently employed for wildlife management at any New Zealand airport. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
The team tested his recall and worked with the control tower to develop procedures that allowed Charlie to work safely on the airfield without disrupting aircraft operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did all of the things we needed him to do\u201d, Alton said. <\/p>\n
Charlie was \u201coff like a rocket\u201d running after plovers, ducks, swans, p\u016bkeko and the odd hare. <\/p>\n
He was \u201cfast like a greyhound\u201d, but had a \u201cbit more stamina\u201d, Alton said.<\/p>\n
He has now been on the peanut butter cookie and pats payroll for almost three years and was the only working dog in New Zealand being used as an \u201ceffective tool\u201d for wildlife management at an airport, Alton said.<\/p>\n
The number of bird strikes had \u201cdecreased significantly\u201d, Alton said.<\/p>\n
Rotorua Airport expanded its dog operations to multiple handlers in 2024, and its bird-strike rate dropped from 25.3 per 1000 aircraft movements in quarter three of 2022 to 2.9 in quarter three of 2024.<\/p>\n
Charlie is the only dog currently employed for wildlife management at any New Zealand airport. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
When Charlie took two months of sick leave in April after developing an infection, bird-strike numbers rose again. <\/p>\n
Alton could not say for certain Charlie\u2019s absence was the sole cause, but the timing did not feel like a coincidence, reinforcing for him that \u201cCharlie is quite effective\u201d.<\/p>\n
Even the sound of the Polaris Ranger, the team\u2019s dog ops vehicle of choice, was associated with danger by the birds, working as a deterrent if Charlie was not on the job. <\/p>\n
A new Aeronautical Excellence Award was presented at the 2025 NZ Airports Association Awards, recognising Blackmaps Geospatial for developing a high-tech obstacle-mapping system using LiDAR and drone data to monitor hazards around Rotorua Airport\u2019s flight paths.<\/p>\n
Charlie, Rotorua Airport\u2019s \u201cHead of Dog Ops\u201d, has become a model for other airports looking to improve wildlife control. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
For the first time, an animal\u2019s work was acknowledged at the awards.<\/p>\n
Judges were so impressed by Charlie\u2019s wildlife-control efforts, they created a special commendation just for him \u2013 Top Dog in Aviation.<\/p>\n
Charlie\u2019s career had turned into a \u201cblueprint\u201d for other airports trying to manage birds and other wildlife. <\/p>\n
At this year\u2019s Auckland Aviation Wildlife Safety Conference, Alton said the Rotorua team was approached by \u201cseveral airports\u201d wanting an update and seeking advice on how to introduce their own version of \u201cdog ops\u201d.<\/p>\n
Airports across the country faced different bird and wildlife pressures, but Alton said working dogs were proving to be a \u201ccost-effective yet invaluable addition\u201d to any airport\u2019s \u201carsenal of bird deterrents\u201d.<\/p>\n
Alton said Charlie was \u201cdefinitely going to be the start of an ongoing dog ops tradition\u201d at Rotorua Airport. <\/p>\n
\u201cPlus, everyone loves him\u201d.<\/p>\n