The new plan is for friends and family to watch Teddy on Mondays and Fridays and then for the doggy daycare to take him overnight for three days.
“I’m so overwhelmed by people wanting this to work for me and keep Teddy in the city.”
Whanau said she could afford to send Teddy away for overnight care for three days with others helping out the rest of the week.
It comes after revelations Whanau was bringing Teddy to the office, despite Wellington Council’s lease agreement not allowing animals on the premises.
The council had not received any complaints from the landlord when Teddy’s visits made headlines last month.
Whanau’s office has since checked with the landlord who has confirmed no dogs are allowed.
The mayor said earlier today Teddy would most likely be sent to Levin to live with her sister.
“I am sad ... he’s my little baby and this job has long hours. It’s a lonely job and I’m single, so don’t have a support network at home, so Teddy was my support.”
It has been a tough month for the mayor after her tipsy night out on the town when she forgot to pay the bill, the situation with Teddy, and ongoing criticism of her attendance at civic events.
Whanau has found the recent attention on her unusual and said it has been a big learning experience.
If she could have changed something, she would have accepted earlier that she is a public figure and people are watching.
“I’ve gone through a bit of a process of mourning my past life, my private life, and I wasn’t letting it go. I’ve let that go and I’m ready to move on and focus on the city.”
Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.
