New dog ranger for Waiouru

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 558, 18 October 1994, Page 6

New dog ranger for Waiouru

By

Michele

Monaghan

Waiouru has a new Dog Ranger and RSPCA contact. Gail Larsen of Hillcrest Pet Motels, south of W aioum, has taken over the two vacant jobs. Gail has been with the RSPCA for 10 years and

has dealt with dogs for over 29 years. "Dogs are my thing. I love them," she said. Gail has been Waiouru's Dog Ranger for two months now and said she envisages no real problems as in most cases the people concerned

catch the offending dog. Then it' s just a matter of her going to pick the dog up. One of the reasons Gail took on the job was so there would be a permanent ranger for Waiouru. "Army people are shifting all the time. They're

forever looking for a permanent ranger." Gail should be kept fairly permanent with her menagerie of five goats, a bull, heifer and a steer, two pigs, a horse, chooks, 30 sheep with lambs and two Burmese cats. Those are just hers — there are the motel boarders after that. Gail covers a huge area in her job as SPCA Field Officer. The Rangitikei branch covers Pipiriki to Raetihi, Ohakune, Waiouru, Taihape, Mangaweka and Ohingaiti. Not surprisingly, Gail said she is very busy. "There' s always something to do for them (animals) or other people." In the new year Gail said she will hopefully start up an RSPCA committee and recruit new members and somebody to lighten her load. She will also run a dog obedienceclass after Christmas. Michelle Woon was Waiouru's previous

RSPCA person. Michelle has moved to Invercargill and Gail is looking after Michelle' s four cats and two dogs until they move to Invercargill to join their owner. Gail said she loves animals because they are so spontaneous. "They give you so much love. Unconditional love."