Statue of Rotorua’s Harawene dog on Te Ngae Rd goes missing

A $10,000 bronze statue of an adored stray dog who touched hearts in Rotorua has been cut off at the paws and is now missing, presumed stolen.

For 15 years, the life-sized statue of Harawene the dog stood on a large rock in an area she used to roam beside Te Ngae Rd/State Highway 30, at the eastern entrance to Rotorua.

But now only a plaque and two small paws remain on the rock.

Rotorua locals have described the mysterious disappearance, which possibly happened in the past week, as “dreadful” and anyone who may have stolen it as “miserable” and “mongrels” – who might be in for a big disappointment if they did it for money.

Harawene pictured by the Rotorua Daily Post in 2005. Photo / Andrew Warner

Harawene was a terrier cross and lived on the side of the road and nearby paddocks for about 14 years. She became famous in Rotorua for simply being there.

She wouldn’t let anyone approach her but locals would leave her food and water daily. She was presumed run over in April 2008 – sending many Rotorua residents into mourning.

The outpouring of grief inspired a committee to form and raise money to have a memorial statue made, costing $10,000.

It was erected just over a year later on Te Ngae Rd facing the intersection with Robinson Ave.

A plaque describes the statue as a “memorial of affection” to Harawene, “a treasured pet of the people of Rotorua”.

Fiona Cairns, who led the fundraising committee, said at the unveiling that Harawene stole the hearts of several Rotorua residents and she hoped the statue would become another tourist attraction.

Yesterday Cairns described anyone who would steal the statue as “miserable”, saying it brought joy to not just locals.

”We had people from America who knew about her and cycling groups from Auckland would look out for her.”

She said if thieves were trying to make money, they would be disappointed because it was not made of solid bronze.

”If it turns up in someone’s backyard they will have a bit of explaining to do.”

She said there had been a little money left over from the fundraiser which covered insurance for the first couple of years but no further.

Rotorua woman Fiona Cairns, pictured in 2009, led the fundraising mission to build Harawene's memorial statue. Photo / Kelvin Teixeira

”I’ve still got the mould but I won’t fundraise to do another [statue].”

Fellow committee member Christine Findon was “gutted” the statue had been taken.

“I can’t believe someone would do this but then, nothing surprises me anymore.

“There are mongrels out there and they’re not all dogs.”

Findon described Harawene as a “little dog who made a name for herself and everyone knew her”.

Only two paws of the bronze statue remain. Photo / Andrew Warner

A lot of hard work went into making the statue and the fundraiser, she said.

“Not everyone agreed [the statue] was a good idea but, in the end, the money was raised.”

Ngāti Whakaue Tribal Lands owns the land where Harawene lived and was memorialised. At the time, it donated $500 towards the statue and base.

General manager Ray Morrison told the Rotorua Daily Post he was saddened the statue was missing and guessed someone had stolen it to melt it down for money.

He estimated the statue could have weighed about 20kg and the thief or thieves would only get a “couple of hundred bucks, if that.

“It’s not gold … It’s a sad indictment of what’s going on in the world today.”

Morrison said he only passed the statue last week and remembered thinking the blackberry nearby needed to be tidied up soon.

“Someone will know where it is. Hopefully people will talk.”

A scrap metal dealer told the Rotorua Daily Post bronze fetched a good price – about $8 a kilogram.

All that is left of Harawene's life-sized statue is a front and back paw. Photo / Andrew Warner

Te Ngae Rd McDonald’s franchise owner Rob Parry said Harawene’s disappearance was “dreadful” as the statue was iconic in Rotorua.

“That is so sad. It was a really nice thing to do to put that up there and over the years I’ve seen a number of people stop and have their photos taken with it.”

The statue features on the Public Art Around The World website.

A police spokesperson said yesterday there had been no reports of the statue being stolen.

Harawene’s history

Harawene made her home along the busy highway in the early 1990s. It is believed she lived on the side of the road for about 15 years, having run away from her Tokoroa family when they came to Rotorua.

Over the years she became an icon for the area. She was often seen keeping vigil and watching the cars going by. Despite running off whenever anyone tried to get close to her, it never stopped people doting on her by leaving food.

The sculpture of Harawene is missing presumed stolen from Te Ngae Rd. Photo / Andrew Warner

Locals mourned her loss when she went missing on April 29, 2008 and her kennel, which stood along Te Ngae Rd, was covered in flowers and letters of condolences by distraught locals.

A few months after she disappeared, a local man, Steve Brown, who used to help feed her, spotted the remains on the road he came to believe were Harawene.

The remains were laid to rest in peace in Brown’s garden.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.