Vivienne Dunn, wth a picture of Lilly, in the MacLean Street park she wants converted into a small dog area her pugs, black Teddie, 4, and Jossie, 2 an enjoy. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
A Cambridge woman’s passion for small dogs and the troubled life of her beloved mini fox terrier Lilly sparked one of the most moving presentations to the Waipā District Council dog hearings last week.
Vivienne Dunn is an ANZ Bank customer service officer who has lived in Cambridge for 20 years. In her submission she said the former MacLean Street playground, on the corner of Thornton Road, should become an exercise area for dogs up to 12kg.
She owns two pug dogs – 4-year-old Teddie and Jossie, 2. But the experience of her much loved Lilly was the driving force behind the passion for her argument to establish a small dog area.
Lilly came to her at eight weeks old soon after the Dunn family moved to Cambridge and was still a puppy when she was injured by two golden retrievers at Lake Te Koo Utu.
“Lilly did not get over her fear of larger dogs her whole life,” an emotional Vivienne told the council’s Strategic Planning and Policy committee’s Dog Control bylaw review hearing last week.
A total of 277 submissions were made over two days, with the final ones heard on Tuesday, after The News went to press.
Sources suggest Vivienne’s submission was likely to be approved following her impassioned presentation.
Council staff say the size of MacLean Park is likely to discourage owners exercising large dogs there, so it becomes a de facto small dog exercise park.
The status of Lake Te Koo Utu is unclear. Staff have recommended a mix of on-leash and off-leash hours adjusted for daylight saving. Submissions on this varied.
Eight years ago, Vivienne and her son were walking Lilly, by then 12, on a lead through the Brian Mayo Reserve in Taylor Street when two huskies attacked her.
The attack was reported to the Waipā council.
“When poor Lilly recovered, we tried to resume walking her, but she was very fearful of larger dogs running off lead and when they came over to her, we would pick her up and ask the owners to take their dogs away.
“I would have loved to have had a safe space to walk her in, but there was no such place.”
Coleen Ryan and Pearl, 9, her papignon chihuahua cross. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Lilly died five years ago.
MacLean Street was disestablished as a children’s playground last year. The play equipment was old and rusted. It is now just a park.
“It is only fit for the benefit of small dogs and puppies as the area is not big enough for larger dogs,” she said.
“The reason why I have set the weight of small dogs and puppies at 12kg, instead of height, is that some dogs like Staffordshire bull terriers are listed as a small breed and they can weigh up to 17kg.
“Puppies up to 12kg, as big dogs were once small puppies and deserve a safe environment to explore the world around them and to socialise.”
Small and young dogs can easily become overwhelmed by larger dogs, she said.
Vivienne has drawn up plans to show how the MacLean Street reserve might look with some agility play equipment, such as a small tunnel, a viewing platform and small ramps.
She obtained more than 200 signatures of support.
“I have had many stories from member of the community, who have had their small dogs attacked, by larger dogs, at the off-leash parks and on the walkways in and around the community.
“I would like to see my submission turn a vacant plot of land into a vibrant community hub, for our small dogs and puppies and their owners, where they can meet and allow small dogs and puppies to be safe and enjoy the freedom that off leash play can bring,” said Vivienne.
Vivienne Dunn in the MacLean Street park she wants converted into a small dog area for her pugs, black Teddie, 4, and Jossie, 2 with fellow supporter Coleen Ryan and Pearl, 9, her papignon chihuahua cross. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
