Lights go out for dog agility club
A dog training club has been left in the dark after part of its new $25,000 lighting rig was stolen.
Dog Agility Wellington Group (DAWG) members discovered the locks on one of the club’s shipping containers at Titahi Bay Intermediate removed and items missing on March 15.
Four of six lamps and a jockey wheel were taken from the rig – a generator and lighting tower – which was used when training dogs at night. Other gear, thought to be timing equipment, was also damaged.
DAWG co-president Louise Williams said the theft had dealt a blow to the club which only received the rig two weeks ago.
A lot of time and effort had gone into saving for the lights, she said.
‘‘It’s a bit of a kick in the guts, really. It’s awful to think there is someone in the community who doesn’t care and didn’t think about who would be impacted.’’
It was believed the burglary happened between 9pm on March 13, when club members locked the containers after using the lights, and the morning of March 15.
If anyone had seen anything suspicious around Titahi Bay Intermediate or knew anything about the stolen gear, they should contact the club or the police, who had already been notified of the theft.
Williams said with daylight saving soon ending, the loss of the lights would mean the club members’ winter training sessions would be limited.
She did not know whether the club would have to buy a new rig or if the missing parts could be replaced individually.
DAWG has about 30 members who come from Wellington, Lower Hutt and Ka¯ piti to train their dogs.
Though club members were still reeling, a fundraiser had been organised to help the club ‘‘beef up security’’.
Williams said messages from the public and offers of support had been very heartening following the theft.
❚ A fundraising event on April 1 will be held at Titahi Bay Intermediate. An agility course will be set up and there will be opportunities to view demonstrations of dog handling and for the public to test their own dogs on the course.