NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

<i>Pamela Wade:</i> Dog owners tripped up on unlevel playing field

16 Apr, 2003 10:38 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

When we went to buy our labrador, Fudge, and she got so excited that she did the Wall of Death around the breeder's living room, I thought the biggest problem about owning a dog was going to be protecting our soft furnishings at home.

And sure, they did come in for
some stress, as did various pieces of pottery, shoes, toys, plants in the garden, the plastic liner of the fish pond and, most spectacularly, the electric cable leading to the pump in the pond.

But it turns out that the hardest thing about having a dog is suddenly becoming a social pariah.

There has always been a difference between going for a walk and walking a dog: the first is a solitary and silent activity, the second - until recently - a time for exchanging cheerful pleasantries with everyone you met, stopping to allow children to pet the animal, and swapping shop-talk with other dog-owners.

Having a dog broke down barriers and provided an effortless entry into conversation with strangers.

There is still a difference, but it is no longer one to enjoy. Since the vicious attacks on Carolina Anderson and other children by uncontrolled fighting dogs, taking the family labrador out for a walk has become an ordeal.

People now look at poor Fudge with suspicion, mothers gather their children to them as we pass on the footpath, some even cross the road to avoid us.

When I have occasionally let the dog off her lead to romp the last 50m home in a deserted street, I have scored cold looks from passing motorists.

While it is sad that man's ancient best friend should have become Public Enemy No 1 in such a short time, all breeds and individuals being tarred with the same brush as the menacing fighting dogs that have become so notorious, it is perfectly understandable.

No one can look at Carolina's mutilated face and think that nothing needs to be done to change the rules about dog control; and the shrill cries for what amounted to total canine imprisonment were only to be expected.

Dog-owners were hoping that in the time since, calmer minds would have considered the matter of new control regulations, and reasonable and workable requirements put in place.

The announcement of the Government's recommendations has gone some way towards allowing us to breathe a little easier but, as usual, only those of us who have the money to comply and the inclination to do so.

There will be plenty of people who will scoff at these laws in just the same way as they do at speed limits and car registration and other rules of life in our society. Can you really see people who fling takeaway wrappers out of their car windows as they roar through red lights meekly trotting along to the vet to pay $95 for a microchip?

Or people who don't even strap their children into cars bothering to put a muzzle and lead on their dogs?

This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, when reasonable people have their freedoms curtailed and their bank balances reduced because of the behaviour of a selfish and inconsiderate minority who will continue to please themselves.

Laws will still have to be passed to deal with the problem, and proper enforcement is the only compensation for their overall unfairness.

There are other ways in which the Government and councils can appease the generally law-abiding owners of the country's half-million dogs.

For a start, the proposed requirement that all houses should have one dog-free doorway should be deleted.

Besides, the extra expense entailed in lining driveways with fencing when all that is really needed is a gate across the drive, there is the matter of security, which is why many people get dogs in the first place.

As well as the crime rate rises inexorably, the result in large part of the Government's failure to pay police properly, why should taxpayers have to spend money to allow burglars and home invaders safe access to our homes?

At our house, visitors stand at the gate and wait to be greeted while Fudge lets us know they are there.

It is a good system and no one has complained - although I cannot speak for any uninvited toerags who have slunk away when confronted by an untethered barking dog defending her (and our) property.

We would also like clarification and consistency in the rulings over where and when our dogs can be allowed off the lead. Is a park with an unused cricket pitch still a park, or a playing field? Are dogs banned or welcome at soccer fields fitted out with plastic bag dispensers?

Councils should have to fork out some of their money, too, to sort out their contradictory signs.

It's a dog's life? Tell us about it.

* Pamela Wade is an Auckland writer.

Herald Feature: When dogs attack

Related links

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

Controversial plan for future of Takapuna Golf Course confirmed

07 Jul 12:49 AM
Auckland

Covid-19 Inquiry: Kiwis detail crippling losses, lost schooling and farewelling dying family

07 Jul 12:38 AM
New Zealand

Church fire arson: Woman appears in court

07 Jul 12:18 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Controversial plan for future of Takapuna Golf Course confirmed

Controversial plan for future of Takapuna Golf Course confirmed

07 Jul 12:49 AM

Auckland Council officials say its plan is very similar to what the golf club now wants.

Covid-19 Inquiry: Kiwis detail crippling losses, lost schooling and farewelling dying family

Covid-19 Inquiry: Kiwis detail crippling losses, lost schooling and farewelling dying family

07 Jul 12:38 AM
Church fire arson: Woman appears in court

Church fire arson: Woman appears in court

07 Jul 12:18 AM
Hunter who died on Stewart Island understood to have been shot

Hunter who died on Stewart Island understood to have been shot

07 Jul 12:11 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP