Ever tried walking?

Kaitaia’s senior police officer was bemused last week, and frustrated, to learn that two Ahipara residents had been charged with driving with excess alcohol after leaving the golf club.

Senior Sergeant Russell Richards said he knew the two people charged, and knew where they lived, just a few hundred metres from the clubrooms (where they had attended the Best of the West game fishing tournament prizegiving).

One had recorded 588 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, the other 441 micrograms. The legal limit for drivers aged 20 years and over is 250 micrograms.

“It is frustrating that people in this community continue to drink and drive, but even more frustrating when they plan to drive no more than a couple of hundred metres,” Mr Richards said.

“There is never a good reason to drink and drive, but it makes no sense at all when you are so close to home. These two could easily have walked but opted to drive, and now they are about to find themselves in court.” The organisers of Saturday’s Bark in the Park in Kawakawa had their leashes crossed that people and their canine companions would turn out in droves. And they did.

“What an amazing day, way better than we hoped,” Leonie Exel said.

“More than 700 people passed through, and best of all they came with their dogs, at least 250 pooches, which amazing.

“Thanks to all of you for coming, the stallholders, the people who did demonstrations, our team of volunteers, every business that donated prizes or things for our sausage sizzle. Such an amazing community we live in.”

The day, which featured a puparazzi competition, displays

is by police and conservation dogs, agility and obedience demonstrations, and a canine cool-off zone with paddling pools and dog ice blocks, raised more than $3300 for Bay of Islands Animal Rescue, which would enable Summer Johnson to keep on doing what she did best, saving impounded pups.

“See you next year for bigger and better,” Leonie added.