The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Hefty vet bill after dog swallows long line fish-hook on Hawke's Bay beach

Hawkes Bay Today
12 May, 2019 06:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Nine year old Chessie had to have emergency surgery after swallowing a fish hook on Ocean Beach. Photo / Supplied.

Nine year old Chessie had to have emergency surgery after swallowing a fish hook on Ocean Beach. Photo / Supplied.

A regular walk on the beach ended up costing a Havelock North dog owner $2800 in vet bills.

Two Saturdays ago Anna Spurgeon's husband was walking their nine-year-old chocolate lab Chessie along Ocean Beach - when she swallowed a fish-hook.

Although it's an off-lead zone on Ocean Beach, Spurgeon said they usually put Chessie on a leash when walking past fishing lines.

However, on this occasion she was walking slightly ahead and noticed another dog along with its owners who were baiting up a longline.

It took hours for the fish hook to be removed from Chessie's stomach lining, costing a total of $2,800. Photo / Supplied.
It took hours for the fish hook to be removed from Chessie's stomach lining, costing a total of $2,800. Photo / Supplied.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Within the next minute she saw the bait on the ground, went for it, ate it and it was all attached to the longline, hook and all. She had to have emergency surgery as the hook had gone right down and got caught in her stomach lining."

After an extensive amount of time on the surgery table at the vet clinic, Spurgeon said Chessie was making a strong recovery and was beginning to eat again.

"The vet told us it was pretty fiddly getting the hook out of her stomach lining.

"We're not having a go at the fishermen because they were really great and tried to help as much as they could. I think they were quite shocked and upset as well.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It would just be good for people to have some awareness . People need to be really careful about leaving fishing equipment on the beach."

Spurgeon said she did not have pet insurance as it was the first time an incident like this had ever happened.

"It's definitely something I'll consider because she's nine years old now and it might be a good thing to have for other things."

While her tummy may still be a little tender, Chessie was slowly getting back to her normal self, begging for food and is going for walks on a lead.

Discover more

New Zealand

Bust to boom: The kiwifruit industry's amazing comeback

07 May 06:18 PM

Waikato artist wins Fieldays No.8 Wire Art Award

12 May 10:45 PM

Mixed reaction to southern coast marine reserves

13 May 10:25 PM

"As she's a little older, she's not bounced back as quickly as what she normally would, but she's getting there slowly."

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'Wow, the bird song': Record year for pest control in Pukenui Forest

The Country

Weekend weather: Desert Rd reopens as winter blast arrives with snow and showers

Premium
OpinionKim Knight

Opinion: Gentrified dripping and beef tallow's surprising comeback


Sponsored

Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

'Wow, the bird song': Record year for pest control in Pukenui Forest
The Country

'Wow, the bird song': Record year for pest control in Pukenui Forest

Rats have halved in 18 months, benefiting tūī and kākāriki populations.

09 Aug 05:36 AM
Weekend weather: Desert Rd reopens as winter blast arrives with snow and showers
The Country

Weekend weather: Desert Rd reopens as winter blast arrives with snow and showers

08 Aug 10:21 PM
Premium
Premium
Opinion: Gentrified dripping and beef tallow's surprising comeback
Kim Knight
OpinionKim Knight

Opinion: Gentrified dripping and beef tallow's surprising comeback

08 Aug 09:00 PM


Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’
Sponsored

Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’

04 Aug 11:37 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP