The Lawrey Story

Would you like more fun in your life? Do you seek more spontaneity, laughter and love? Would you like to meet new people? If the answer to all of these questions is ‘yes,’ then Matt Lawrey reckons you should get a dog.

Nelson loves dogs and, from what I can tell, the dogs love Nelson back.

If the region’s canines had a spokesdog, that dog would tell you that Nelson’s enviable climate means that Nelson pooches have a greater chance of being taken for a walk than their peers in many other parts of the country. They’d add that there are lots of great places where they’re allowed off the lead, including the legendary dog beach at Tāhunanui, and that an increasing number of pubs and cafes are making them feel very welcome. They’d also tell you that, even when the weather turns foul, Nelson’s a great place to be a dog thanks to our wonderful indoor dog-walking facilities, otherwise known as Bunnings and Mitre 10.

There are around 12,000 registered dogs in Nelson and Tasman, which means there’s about one dog for every nine people. We have one of them. Her name’s Rosie. She’s a young rescue dog from Auckland and we believe she’s a ‘Staffadore’ (Staffordshire Bull Terrier – Labrador cross, AKA a ‘Laffy’). Rosie recently joined our family via the animal rescue service PAWS, she’s lovely natured, has a lot of learn, and is full of beans.

Our old dog Monty died in October last year and, after a sufficient period of grieving, we found ourselves missing having a hound in the house and ready to once again commit.

There’s no question that owning a dog can be a significant emotional, logistical and financial commitment. They’re also a pretty big responsibility. For my money, though, they’re worth it. I just feel more settled when there’s a dog in the house. They actually force you to be less of a control freak because they do things that you cannot control. Take Rosie, for example. She moults so much our entire home now looks like its covered in white mist. She’s also continuing Monty’s work of customising our beautiful rimu floors with her claws. Recently she slipped her lead, while tied up outside New World, and went for an hour-long jog around the city before being intercepted on Waimea Rd - thanks again to the folks on the Nelson Community Facebook page for helping us to find her. Then there was the time she chundered in our friend’s new car…

Yes, dog ownership comes with challenges but, as has been widely documented, they are also a great way to meet people. We can’t go 10 metres from the front door without getting into a conversation with someone about Rosie. They also force you to stretch your legs, which can be good for your mental health and your waistline, and they can be a welcome distraction from the madness of the world. Case in point, National’s transport policy. Every time I think about it, I pat Rosie. As a result, we have a very happy dog and a much less stressed me.

Best of all, though, is the way dogs enhance family life. Kids get so much out of having a dog in the house. Dogs give children opportunities to learn tenderness, empathy and responsibility. Dogs teach them about the values of companionship and unconditional love. They also increase the chances of kids spending time in the outdoors. One of the reasons I think my wife and I were so upset when we had to have Monty put down is that we were both so grateful to him for everything he had done for our boys.

Now we’re grateful to Rosie for all the good things she’s bringing into our lives. We’re also grateful to NCC and TDC for their dog-friendly policies and to all the businesses welcoming dogs, especially those ones putting water bowls out. Finally, we really appreciate living in a community that increasingly seems to understand that, the better a place is for dogs, the better it’ll be for people as well.