Queenstown's 'singing dog' to remain muzzled, after attacking other dogs
From reporter Debbie Jamieson:
Happy the singing sheepdog is not as happy as he once was, and neither is his owner.
Kim Turton has been busking on Queenstown’s lake front for 28 years and has been joined by his “best friend” Happy during the last seven years.
However, in March this year, Happy bit another dog and was classified as menacing by the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
Turton appealed but a decision from the council’s hearing panel this week upheld the classification, noting there had been previous dog-on-dog attacks involving Happy in the last two years.
The council had undertaken education and infringement enforcement action previously. The classification was the next appropriate enforcement tool, the decision said.
Turton argued he had not been treated fairly by the council and the sight of the muzzle made people wary of approaching him, which affected his income from busking.
“I used to make a living here, but now I’m struggling,” he said.
“Happy doesn’t like it, of course, but he still loves singing, and he still sings with me.”
Recently, Turton was approached by a man accusing him of being cruel by muzzling Happy.
“He told me to pack up, so I did. I don’t want a complaint,” he said.
Turton objected to many aspects of the council’s case against him, believing it was a personal vendetta by a staff member and that some evidence was misrepresented.
He was now seeking the advice of a lawyer before considering whether to go to the ombudsman or police with his concerns.
He was left feeling that he couldn’t trust anyone, he said.
“Really I just want to finish this. It’s been four months of hell for me.
“Ten times a day people ask me about the muzzle, and it makes me feel stressed and angry once again.”
Turton told the panel he adopted Happy when Happy was three months old, and he had become his best friend, the decision said.
“When [Turton] first got him, [Happy] was a ‘screwed up puppy that came from a car crash’ and he did not respond to professional dog training, but after being neutered, his whole demeanour had changed, and he became a normal dog."
Turton stressed that he always had Happy on a lead, whether it be a normal lead or lead attached to his foot, as he said it was when the latest incident happened.
The panel was concerned that just having Happy on a lead would not mitigate the risk of Happy attacking another dog.
“We consider it apparent that Happy is nervous of other dogs coming into his space in this environment and his reaction is to be aggressive, and this has occurred several times over the years.
“Action has been taken to address this behaviour in the form of education and placement of cones to mark his area, but there continues to be a problem,” the decision said.
The panel acknowledged that Happy had not shown aggression towards people, only dogs.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
🚒 Our Fire and Emergency crews have been kept busy lately
And they’re once again reminding everyone: please don’t light fires when it’s windy.
Central Otago will move into a restricted fire season from 1 December 2025, which means anyone planning an outdoor fire will need to apply for a permit and plan ahead.
So we’d love to ask you — how do you make sure you’re being fire-safe at this time of year?
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