Earlybird dog registration rewarded
Jessie McDonald-Northcote, a dog owner from the Whakatane district, is the lucky winner of a kennel and run worth $850 thanks to a Whakatane District Council draw.
This year, dog owners were encouraged to register their dogs before July 31 to go in the draw for the prize, courtesy of the council, as well as numerous pet food prizes donated by Nestle Purina PetCare. Jessie's dog, Gin, had its number come up for the kennel and run.
Whakatāne District Council Community Regulation Manager Graeme Lewer says Jessie was over the moon with the win. "She has a few dogs so the prize will be well-used.
"It's good to acknowledge proactive dog owners. This prize giveaway is our way of thanking responsible people who take the time to register their dogs. It was made possible by the generous sponsorship and partnership with Nestle Purina PetCare, which kindly donated a large amount of high-quality dog food.
"We also gave various Nestle Purina pet food products to 30 other dog owners who did the responsible thing and registered their dogs early," Graeme says. "The response from them has been amazing. They were blown away by the generous prizes they received."
Registering your dog makes it much easier for councils to find and identify dogs. Under Section 36 of the Dog Control Act 1996, all dogs must be registered by July 1 each year or before the dog is three months old. Dogs must be registered with the council in the district where they are kept. Dogs can also be microchipped for easy identification; this helps animal control staff return dogs to their rightful owners should their registration tags be lost.
Visit our Dog Registration section for more information:
www.whakatane.govt.nz...
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.