Campbell Barry has introduced another alpaca to his collection of pets. Photo / Supplied
Campbell Barry has introduced another alpaca to his collection of pets. Photo / Supplied
When Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry took a tour of the council's pound, he promised his wife he wouldn't be bringing home a dog.
No such promises were made when it came to alpacas, however.
Yesterday, Barry swapped his council offices for a field up in the hills of Normandale, where he found himself struggling to heave a stubborn alpaca into the back of a horse float.
Barry had agreed to take on the alpaca and an elderly sheep as pets after being told by staff they had been looking for a home for the pair for nearly eight months.
He was visiting the Hutt City Council animal services two weeks ago to learn more about what they do.
Campbell Barry attempts to lift the stubborn alpaca to get it into the horse float - with no luck. Photo / Melissa Nightingale
"We sort of just got joking. I said to Laura my wife that I wouldn't come home with a dog after visiting, even though it would be tempting - 'but if you had an alpaca then hey, all bets are off'."
As it turned out, there was an alpaca needing a home.
Barry, who lives on a section in Wainuiomata and already owns five pet alpaca, two sheep, 12 chickens, and two indoor cats, said he and his wife agreed to take on the animals and let them join "the family".
It was particularly important for alpaca to live in groups, he said.
"If they don't have a companion they can really sort of go into a spiral."
The alpaca and the sheep had been living on a semi-rural section in Normandale, but when the property was sold the new owners did not want to keep them.
Neighbour Yvonne Bradley agreed to take them until a new home could be found. She has been looking after them since March, before the lockdown.
The alpaca was "very protective of the sheep" and they were "really good buddies", she said.
Campbell Barry with his two pet sheep (left), as well as the new alpaca and sheep at his Wainuiomata home. Photo / Supplied
Team leader of council's animal service Jane Schuitema said it was "a really good result" that Barry could take the pair together, so they did not have to be split up.
Previous owner Arlene Mallow came to help corral the animals into a horse float for Barry to take home.
She said she felt "really guilty" her neighbour had had to care for them on her behalf, and said Bradley was "just amazing" for taking them on for so long.
It was "just fantastic" that Barry was able to adopt them.
