The Wellington mayor’s dog, Teddy, will be sent to live out of town after a complaint of double standards by another councillor, to a talkback radio station.
Whanau’s four-pawed campaigner, the two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, has been her loyal sidekick since her triumphant paw-litical victory in Wellington’s 2022 local elections.
The tail of Teddy took a viral turn after his presence in the office was revealed while Whanau was attending a Bloomberg Leadership programme in New York City.
Whanau and her team weren’t aware of it at the time but the four-legged friend’s appearance breached the council’s tenancy agreement with its landlord.
Wellington city councillor Nicola Young went on Newstalk ZB to say Teddy was a bone of contention with other councillors who own dogs, who felt there shouldn’t be separate rules for the mayor.
“It’s about the principle. It’s not really about the dog,” the self-appointed watchdog said, as she blew the whistle on Teddy.
Discovering the ruckus via a Google Alert, a clever Harvard University attendee also at the conference with Whanau issued Teddy with his own I.D. card for the Ivy League campus, he was welcome among the top dogs at the university, ranked number 4 in the world.
“Harvard loves Teddy!”, Whanau posted on social media at the time.
Now, though it seems Teddy’s tenure at Wellington City Council is over.
Although the landlord had never enforced the puppy protocol, Whanau’s team have followed up on Young’s complaint and the lease does say no dogs.
“The second I found out, I did take Teddy home. I fully understand the rules and I totally accept them,” Whanau told NZME.
Whanau says she’s going to rehome Teddy with family while she fulfils her civic duty.
“The downside is because I work long hours, I just can’t leave Teddy at home for that long between 12 and 14 hours a day.”
Whanau told NZME Teddy will spend the tail-end of his political career at a “doggy hotel” for a few nights, while she finds someone to take him.
Most likely Teddy will stay with her sister in Levin or with her mum in Taranaki.
Whanau conceded it will be a bit of an “emotional hit’.
“I love my job - it’s tough but I’m also single and home alone and like every other millennial with a dog, Teddy is my fur baby,” she told NZME on Tuesday.
Her job was no walk in the park and she was taking it ruff, she said.
“He’s my support dog in many ways.”
“it is a bit of a hit for me but the job is also really important. Wellington is really important, so I’ll adjust.”
Teddy can be followed on Instagram at “hiswoofship”.
City councillor Nicola Young, an independent, is no stranger to controversy herself. In June she withdrew a comment branding a proposed Chinese garden on Wellington waterfront a “Uyghur’s park”.
The Uyghurs are an ethnic group who have been subjected to human rights abuses by the Chinese government, often characterised as genocide.
-Additional reporting, NZME