Shar pei lady safe and looking for a home

The recovered shar pei and finder Helen Edwards at Pakowhai Regional Park, also known as The Dog Park. Photo / Paul Taylor

A dog that found sanctuary in the Pakowhai Regional Park, after apparently being abandoned or straying into what is known as The Dog Park is now looking for a home after being captured by worried dog-lovers early this afternoon.

But another drama was soon opening up with dog-enthusiasts Helen Edwards and Rachel Poulain taking the estimated 7- to 9-month-old Shar Pei-cross they’ve nicknamed “Lady” to the Napier City Council pound after becoming worried a trip to the Hastings pound could see her destroyed as a bull breed under dangerous-breed bylaws.

The two women were expecting the Napier pound would accommodate the dog through a statutory holding period or until it had been claimed, and if not claimed then fostered, Edwards saying Napier staff immediately accepted “Lady” as shar pei.

The plight of the dog became dog-lovers Facebook material over the last two days, some saying it looked lost, confused and scared.

Edwards said that with her experience with dogs she felt “obligated” to do something for the young canine, which appeared to have been abandoned, possibly stolen and dumped.

She and Poulain staked out the park on Tuesday night, trying to coax the dog into taking a lead, but without success.

Edwards says the dog wasn’t aggressive but seemed to lack trust, and to have avoided traps set by Hastings council staff.

Offered and eventually accepting treats, the increasingly malnourished dog accepted the lead and soon appeared comfortable with the new company.

By mid-afternoon it had been taken to a vet and found to be micro-chipped, sparking attempts to trace an owner.

Edwards said many people had shown their concern for the dog’s wellbeing and she hoped it would soon be fully recovered and in a suitable home.

“She’s asleep in my car right now,” she said. “She’s a lovely dog.”

Councils had by early evening been unable to comment on the situation due to the lateness in the day.