Waikato police dog visit the icing on fifth birthday cake

Constable Elena Carroll presented Anamalia Hohneck with a teddy bear and police dog toy for her fifth birthday. Photo / Tom Rowland

When police sirens blasted along Keswick Crescent in Hamilton newly turned five-year-old Anamalia Hohneck dashed out to the front garden with joy and excitement across her face.

To meet her at the front gate was Constable Elena Caroll with police dog Velko. It was a special occasion for Anamalia who was supposed to be travelling around the Gold Coast with her family for her fifth birthday.

In lockdown, mum Megan Whyte had to break a promise that she would be able to visit Movie World on her fifth birthday, but that spurred Megan to make Anamalia's birthday extra special.

"She was really looking forward to her first day of school, and we were supposed to be in the Gold Coast, but obviously Covid-19 put a spanner in the works," Megan said.

"I still wanted to do something special, so I got in touch with Waikato Police on Facebook and Constable Elena got back to me and said she would be happy to come along."

Bringing Velko was the icing on the birthday cake, as Anamalia is set on becoming a police dog handler when she is older.

Anamalia Hohneck and her mum Megan Whyte also got to speak to NZME radio station Coast FM about her surprised fifth birthday party. Photo / Tom Rowland

"One of her friend's dads is a police dog handler and when Anamalia went over for a party a few months ago she really bonded with their dog who used to be a police dog. Ever since then she has said she wants to be a police dog handler," says Megan.

While still social distancing, Anamalia was able to pat and hold Velko's lead while she also received two toys from Constable Elena, one of them a police dog soft toy.

Megan said Constable Elena was lovely and interacted with the kids really well.

Megan said it was also extra special to see some of her neighbours come out and celebrate as well, while all maintaining social distancing.

"I had a neighbour come up to me who I haven't really spoken much too and he said he recorded the whole thing on his camera and another gave us a birthday card which was wrapped in plastic for protection against Covid-19 so it was really good that everyone could come out and have a chat and get together during this time."