"Little O"

We went to fish the "Big O" yesterday afternoon, Lake Otamangakau, which is well known as New Zealand's trophy rainbow trout fishery. Dave was pretty jazzed as he'd just finished visiting with Dr. Michel Dedual, Fishery Scientist for the Department of Conservation's Taupo Fishery Area, who showed him fish data and fish pictures, and even told him where to fish! This on the heels of years of stories from friend Chad Newman who fished the Big O with good success on his visit to NZ in earlier days.

We got to the lake and began to check out an area recommended by Michel, this requiring some clever and careful driving with our low clearance Ford Mondeo wagon. Gret had her eyes closed for much of this - Dave had to peek once in a while since he was driving. After getting into and out of one potential area from which to launch our flyfishing offensive, we tried another little 2 track that we hoped would take us to a better spot. We reached a fork of sorts, in the narrow track, and Ari noted from the back seat - "Hey, a puppy!"

Dave stopped and we all looked at the pup - both he and Gretchen knew that the fishing wasn't going to happen that afternoon. The pup was sitting near a bush, with one eyelid stuck shut, and as Dave got out and approached it, the pup came over to greet him. A 6 or so week old white bull terrier or some such breed, the poor little chap was emaciated. He'd been sitting on a box on which was his dead litter-mate; both pups had been abandoned there in the bush and had been there for a week probably.

We put the pup in a box and drove the half-hour back to Turangi on the south shore of Lake Taupo. The Police station was closed, but there was a phone at the entrance that connects with dispatch, so an officer was dispatched to meet us there at the station and take the pup from us to deliver to the SPCA office up the lake at Taupo the next day. Dave asked if we could call to check on the pup's status, and noted that his name is "Little O." We will call or check in on him soon to let you know how he is.

Cheers!