ANIMALS OF NEW PLYMOUTH

While celebrating 75 years of New Plymouth Vet Group, we’ve reminisced over many patients, clients, farm members, and moments with our own pets – and we came to a realisation. Our 75th celebration isn’t really about us at all. It’s about the Animals of New Plymouth. Whether it’s a monkey at the zoo, a native bird with a broken wing, Jason the Seagull who, 10 years since we treated him, still comes to get fed at the clinic’s back door, Fluffy the kitten, or Luna the poodle, it’s the animals that are the reason we exist in the first place.

The more we talked, the more we wanted to tell each pet’s story. And so, the concept was born: let’s make a book. Not about us, but about the animals. Telling their stories, finding that special memory and sharing it. Noticing the unique personality of your pet, and sharing it. Laughing at the antics your dog gets up to, and sharing it.

Here is your invitation to “Publish your Pet”

We dedicate this to the Animals of New Plymouth.

Read on below to see examples of recent submissions, then tell us about your pet! It doesn’t have to be a story about visiting the vets, it might be something as mundane as the specific meow your cat makes when it’s 6pm on the dot and they’re ready for their dinner. Each pet is unique, and each story is worth being told.

Click the link below to submit your story and photo.
Alternatively, if you prefer a chat, give us a call and tell us your story over the phone and our team can write it up for you. 

Please include
Pet’s name and species/breed:
Your name (optional):
Tell us one of their stories in 100-400 words. This could be anything, some ideas to get you started: think about a special memory, a funny habit, a unique quirk, or why they are important to your life.
Please attach their photo – the highest quality you have.

Email to npvetgroupnz@gmail.com if the link is not working for you.

Please note: before we publish your stories and photos, each submission will go through a grammar check, and the photos may be edited to enhance the quality when needed.

Maya – The Siberian Husky

Maya was a princess from the day she was born and like all princesses she decided she needed a throne which happened to be on a Trampoline. She then decided that anyone wishing to share her throne was fine… but leaving the said throne was not going to happen. The Trampolining Husky became a bit of a thing. As Huskie’s that chip on her shoulder was permanent, wherever she went… that bed, that water dish, that toy… they are mine didn’t you realise… and everytime she did it the other dog bizarrely just accepted it. We do think she was definitely Russian royalty.

The Bruce

Our 6 year old St Bernard Bruce – named after the Bruce Almighty, or maybe The Hulk, either way, this boy is over 85kgs of pure love…and fluff…and dribble.

You know how we all went “I want a puppy” during lockdown, well we went one better and got the equivalent of a house cow. I waited my whole life to get my Bruce, and as my life-long friend said yep, she too had waited her whole life for me to get this dog. Bruce was born at the New Plymouth Vet Group via C-Section and joined our family of 4 humans and “big Brother” Russell a Labraspoodle  8 weeks later and around 12kgs. He put on 2kg every week for months. HE ATE A LOT!

6 years on and our house is annihilated; there is fluff from here to Timbuktu and be careful where you stand as the dribble is something to be reckoned with. That stuff sticks to everything…everywhere – ceiling included. He creates small earthquakes when he flops down in a huff and snores like a trooper…and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

St Bernard’s are truly majestic, there is nothing like it having one of these creatures in your life.

We don’t get far on our walks before somebody stops for a chat. And a pat. I love seeing the smiles in the passing cars, the pure joy on people’s faces when they see him. Bruce is made to share, he loves attention and pats.  A true leaner you need to have a strong stance or else you will topple. He loves getting in the car and back out again, ready for any adventure, any human and any animal – he just loves everything and everybody. Even the Vet’s injections do not dampen Bruce happiness and unconditional love.

He is though a tad of a wimp. He needs to be right next to me. His love and loyalty is nothing that words can explain and is so gentle and funny. He pretends to be dumb, but this boy has brains. They told us Saints can become quite stubborn, well stubborn is an understatement, 85kgs of I am not moving means – he is not moving!

We are so lucky to have Bruce, we are grateful for his big silly droopy eyes and huge head, and ridiculously sized frame.

 Once he is long gone and we have moved houses, I am happy in the knowledge that Bruce will live on as that house, no matter how many cleans and how many different people move in there – it will never be fluff free again!

Zippy-Do- Da, Buttercup & Mokey-Tokey (Hokey Pokey)

Nemo: My Little Orange Dog 🧡

There are some dogs who come into your life and those very special little souls who somehow become part of your story forever. For me, that little dog was Nemo — or, as I affectionately called him, Nemotoad Baked Bean, the little orange dog. 🧡

Nemo first came into the New Plymouth Vet Group clinic after suffering an accident — he had broken his back. His owners surrendered him. For ten long weeks, Nemo remained in the clinic undergoing cage rest and rehabilitation. Ten weeks of waiting, healing and wondering what his future would look like.

And then, somehow, he came home with me.

Nemo wasn’t what you’d call everyone’s dog. In fact, he could be downright suspicious of people he didn’t know. He had his own opinions about strangers and wasn’t afraid to let them know exactly what he thought of them! But once Nemo decided you were okay, you were in.  He had the most wonderful little personality. He was cheeky, loyal, stubborn and completely convinced that he was much tougher and more important than his little orange body suggested.

He certainly didn’t seem to hold much appreciation for the Robs at the clinic. 😂 After everything they had done for him — including two cruciate surgeries and a toe removal you’d think he might have shown them a little gratitude! But apparently, Nemo’s philosophy was more along the lines of “You may have saved my legs, but I still don’t trust you.” 😂

I’ll never forget the day Rob O was out at our property. Nemo spotted him and decided that this was his moment. He began stalking him. Rob started walking a little faster. Nemo kept coming. Rob walked faster still. And before long, Rob was making a very determined beeline for the fence, with Nemo hot on his heels! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him move quite so quickly in the name of veterinary self-preservation😂

But underneath all that attitude was a little dog who had overcome so much. Nemo got to spend the rest of his life exactly where he belonged – on the farm  And he wasn’t alone. He had his best mate Ace the heading dog, by his side. The two of them became a little team, sharing the farm, the adventures and the simple happiness that comes from having a mate who is always there.

After the terrible start Nemo had been given, it felt so incredibly special to watch him live a life filled with freedom, sunshine, muddy paws and companionship. He had gone from a frightened little dog with a broken back, facing an uncertain future, to a much-loved farm dog who had found his place.

He wasn’t perfect. He wasn’t everyone’s friend. He certainly wasn’t going to win any popularity contests with the Robs 😂. But he was Nemo. My Nemotoad. My little orange baked bean. A funny, feisty, stubborn little survivor who somehow managed to make himself a permanent place in my heart.

He taught me that sometimes the dogs who need you the most become the ones you can’t imagine your life without. And although his little legs carried him across the farm, it was his enormous personality that left the biggest paw prints behind. 🐾

Run free Nemotoad 🧡 Give Ace a little nudge from me.

You were loved, you were safe, you were home and you will never be forgotten.

Brodie & Stitch

Brodie, my Jack Russell, grew up on a farm and had a serious passion for escaping at midnight to chase rabbits. Many a cold, stormy night was spent with me standing in the pouring rain, digging through rabbit holes trying to find him.

Thankfully, Stitch came along and made things a little easier. He somehow always knew which hole Brodie was stuck in and would stand outside barking until I got him out. One time I told him, “Stitch, go fetch Brodie,” and he came running back with a hedgehog in his mouth instead. Thankfully, the hedgehog was unharmed and released!

Apart from that little misunderstanding, Stitch was always the one to find Brodie.

These days, they’re both enjoying their senior years away from the farm. No more midnight rabbit missions, just two old boys who are happy to spend the rest of their lives together.

Ed

Abbie: “You can’t leave him here for the long weekend. Can you take him, Averil, and bring him back on Tuesday?”
Averil: “Okay, Abbie, I’ll do that!”

And so it began…

Ed came into our lives on Anzac weekend. Little did we know the crazy, beautiful chaos he was about to create. Ed, only a few weeks old, was picked up on the side of the road somewhere in New Zealand by some travelling German tourists, who realised his mum was nowhere to be seen. They turned up at our clinic before heading back home, asking how they could take him back to Germany. Once they realised that wasn’t going to be possible, they asked if we could find him a home. And, as a rite of passage for our staff, we all seem to end up taking an animal home eventually! Mine ended up being Ed the Ginger Anzac.

Ed’s behaviour didn’t quite fit that of a normal cat. He’d never learnt from his mum or siblings how to “cat”! It was a lot of trial and error, finding ways to stop the biting and scratching, I’d turn up at work with Ed injuries, saying, “It’s okay, we’re working on it!” Eventually, he became the most snuggly creature, although hints of his fiery nature would still come through to remind us to stay on guard.

Ed became unwell around Christmas. After tests, ultrasounds and finally an operation to investigate his liver, place a feeding tube and send samples to the laboratory, he was diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis (CCHS), a bacterial infection of the liver. He needed a lot of medication to help keep his liver ticking along, as well as a special prescription diet. Wendy Dixon, our Naturopathic Vet, offered some remedies to help support Ed’s liver, and he even had the honour of becoming one of her case studies at a Veterinary Conference.

Over a period of seven years, Ed had bouts of good health, followed by times when he would dip back down again. He was always fighting so hard. But eventually, his liver started to fail, and I had to make that heartbreaking decision that we, as pet owners, sometimes have to make — to say goodbye.

Our pets teach us so much more than we will ever know, and Ed certainly was able to do this. It’s easy to say he was my soul animal. We had a deep connection and bond, and our lives were so much richer for having him. Ed was a crazy, fiery, snuggly, complicated ginger cat who came into my life unexpectedly. But left such a huge impact on me, all because I forgot to bring him back to the Clinic after Anzac weekend !

Rolo

Rolo is a classic dachshund and firmly believes personal space is a terrible idea. His favourite hobbies include burrowing under blankets, stealing cuddles, and aggressively requesting smooches whenever a face comes within reach. The moment you sit down on the couch, he assumes his designated position (or at least tries!): nestled into your neck (either attacking you from your chest or from the back of the couch), getting as close to you as possible, draping himself around your shoulders like a very needy, sausage-shaped scarf.

He’s convinced that the best place to be is as close to his humans as physically possible. If that means standing on your chest to sneak a kiss, then so be it. Boundaries are merely suggestions in Rolo’s world.

When he’s not supervising snuggle operations, you’ll usually find him asleep on his back twisted like a pretzel with all four legs pointed in completely different directions. It’s the sort of pose that says, “Life is good.” That peace lasts only until someone enters the kitchen.

At the faintest sound of a cupboard opening, Rolo transforms from a blissfully sleeping potato into a four-legged missile. Suddenly it’s all tippy-tappy claws, flying ears, and maximum effort sprinting as he and his siblings charge towards the scene. It doesn’t matter if someone is making lunch, unloading the dishwasher, or simply walking through the room. Rolo operates on the assumption that every trip to the kitchen is a snack-related emergency, and he’s not about to miss out.

In Rolo’s mind, life is simple: stay close, demand cuddles, steal kisses, sleep upside down, and investigate every potential food opportunity with the urgency of a first responder.

Radar and Pierce: The Cats Who Were Never Quite “Easy Care”

In 2019 when I brought home two tiny kittens at just six weeks old, I thought I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. They were going to be barn cats — independent, low-maintenance, no-fuss, easy-care cats who would happily potter around the property and mostly look after themselves.

Well… that was the theory.

The two little fluff balls were named Radar and Pierce, after characters from M*A*S*H. From the very beginning, they had personalities of their own, and it quickly became apparent that “no fuss” and “easy care” were not necessarily words that belonged in the same sentence as these two.

They grew into much-loved members of the family, with their own routines, quirks and adventures. Sadly, my time with Radar was far too short. At just two years old, he was tragically hit by a car. Losing him was heartbreaking, and suddenly Pierce was left to adjust to life as a single cat. Pierce struggled initially but eventually settled into his new life on his own.

I thought perhaps his biggest adventures were behind him.
I was very wrong.

In the middle of 2024, Pierce disappeared.

What followed was nearly six weeks of worry, searching and wondering where on earth he could possibly have gone. Every day without him felt like another day I might never see him again. Then, after almost six weeks, he finally just wandered in the door loudly announcing his return

He was alive — but he was not in a great state.

Pierce had lost around 2kg during his time missing, which is a huge amount for a cat. He had also badly damaged the end of his tail. He was exhausted, thin and clearly needed some care.

But he was home.

With fluids, plenty of food, warmth, rest and an enormous amount of TLC, Pierce slowly began to recover. Day by day, he became more like himself again. Watching him regain his strength and personality was incredibly rewarding, and I was simply grateful that my wandering boy had found his way home.

After that adventure, I decided that “keeping an eye on him” needed to become a little more high-tech. Pierce now wears a Tractive tracker on his collar, so I have a much better idea of where he is and can keep a close eye on his adventures.

Unfortunately, the story of his tail wasn’t quite finished. About six months after returning home, the damage to the end of his tail eventually meant that he lost the tip.

Pierce has taken everything in his stride. From losing his brother, to surviving nearly six weeks on his own, losing weight, damaging his tail and eventually losing part of it, he has somehow continued to be Pierce — determined, resilient and very much his own cat.

These days, he lives his best life. He is happy, healthy, well fed and, most importantly, well monitored. His Tractive tracker gives me some peace of mind, although I suspect Pierce would tell me that he never needed my supervision in the first place.

Looking back, those two tiny six-week-old kittens were supposed to be easy-care barn cats. Instead, Radar and Pierce gave me years of memories, heartbreak, worry, laughter and love. Radar may always have a special place in my heart, and Pierce is a daily reminder of just how resilient these little creatures can be.

He may have lost the tip of his tail, but he certainly hasn’t lost his spirit.

Four Generations of Shepherds and 40 Years of Trusted Care
Featuring Jacki, Journi, Jem, and Jade (Left to Right)

My journey with the New Plymouth Vet Group began back in the 1980s with my very first German Shepherd, Lady. Over the last four decades, my trust in the team’s skill and professionalism has been absolute—so much so that I happily make the two-hour round-trip to the clinic for any appointment  our dogs need.

Living with German Shepherds means navigating a unique blueprint of health needs. Together with NPVG, we’ve tackled an extensive list of conditions over the years: elbow dysplasia, knee arthritis, liver shunts, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), cystitis, mammary cancer, emergency C-sections, and fading puppy syndrome. No matter how complex or stressful the diagnosis, every single condition has been met with the utmost care, expertise, and genuine compassion.

A memory that stands out involves my girl, Jem. While grooming her, I found a grape-sized lump on her mammary gland. Panicked, I rushed to book an online consult, flagging it as a “significant sized lump” in the notes. When we arrived, the vet took a look, smiled, and gently put my mind at ease by explaining that in the veterinary world, a grape wasn’t actually “significant”—they regularly see mammary tumours thousands of times larger! We shared a much-needed chuckle, and the terrifying weight instantly lifted from my shoulders.

Jem can be a handful to bring into the clinic on my own, as she isn’t the most vet-friendly dog. Our wonderful vet, Rob, always shows such incredible thoughtfulness by personally escorting us out after our appointments, carefully shielding Jem from other animals on her left.

Jem had her surgery, received the best possible results, and remains a happy, healthy dog today. Happy 75th Anniversary, NPVG! Thank you for walking alongside our family and our beloved Shepherds for so much of your incredible history.

Photo of the girls proving four adult German Shepherds can fit in a Suzuki Swift AND funny little story about their Christmas hats. I purchased them off Temu thinking they were full size hats. When they arrived, they are clearly Chihuahua size but I still think they work well. 🤣🤣🤣

Roman

This is Roman, my little bundle of joy. After tossing and turning on the idea of getting a Rottie pup, I bit the bullet spontaneously one day and did it – and have never looked back since! Truly never a dull moment with this lump of energy, I have seen the end of many a tea towel, shoes, furniture and cushions – but oddly enough, I never felt upset about losing those things, which surprised me. It just made me realise that actually, he is trying to tell me something – he might be bored, need a walk, some new toys etc, or just plain and simple – attention. And he has been showered with that attention since, and brings me so much joy and happiness, especially on days when I need it the most – dogs are intuitive like that. Roman is eager to meet other dogs and make friends, and he loves doing the Lake Mangamahoe loop – come and say hi if you see us around! We have moved up here from Christchurch and Roman is in love with the Taranaki lifestyle.

Elmo

This is Elmo a lovely natured female cat that shared our lives for 17 years, which also involved 17 years of visits to the New Plymouth Vet Group Clinic.

Like all cats she loved being warm and was always quick to take up pole position in front of the fire as soon as it was lit during winter months. We called her our Cat-O-Meter, the warmer the fire got the further she moved away from it.

There is nothing like a cat completely relaxed in front of a fire to make a house feel more homely.

So, now it’s your turn!

Get in touch to ‘Publish Your Pet’, or reach out with any questions, we would love to hear from you!