Local author seeking stories of dogs and the Christchurch earthquake
Dog owners from throughout Canterbury are being encouraged to submit stories to a local author about their dog’s behaviour before and since Christchurch’s 4 September earthquake.
“I work as a canine massage therapist,” says Kathleen Crisley, Director of Canine Catering Ltd. “Since 4 September, many of my clients and colleagues have told me about how their dog reacted either before the earthquake or in the days since.”
“Like children, some dogs are suffering from anxiety and they manifest this stress in different ways. Other owners tell me of how their dog comforted them in the stressful days following the initial quake when aftershocks were strong and frequent. And for many owners, checking on their dog’s safety was the first thing that entered their mind when the shaking stopped.”
“There are also the dogs who, before the quake, exhibited ‘odd’ behaviour as if they knew that something was on its way”, she says.
Stories of how animals behave before natural disasters are not new. For example, before the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, there were reports that elephants moved to higher ground. However, Ms Crisley wants to tell the story of Christchurch’s earthquake through the unique experiences of dogs in the area.
“Dogs and their owners share a unique and often loving bond. To me, it only seems fair to tell the story of the earthquake from the perspective of Canterbury’s dogs. And I’d rather see a book about the earthquake with cute photos of dogs rather than any more photos of destroyed buildings!”
Ms Crisley aims to compile a minimum of 50 stories before seeking a publisher for her book.
People wanting to share their dog’s story should submit it in writing along with suitable photos to info@caninecatering.co.nz or by post to P O Box 5199, Papanui, Christchurch 8542. There is also a direct email link on Canine Catering’s homepage www.caninecatering.co.nz. Owners should include their contact details so Kathleen can follow up with them.
For more information contact Kathleen Crisley, Canine Catering Ltd, 027 265 7648 or 03 354 0298
“I work as a canine massage therapist,” says Kathleen Crisley, Director of Canine Catering Ltd. “Since 4 September, many of my clients and colleagues have told me about how their dog reacted either before the earthquake or in the days since.”
“Like children, some dogs are suffering from anxiety and they manifest this stress in different ways. Other owners tell me of how their dog comforted them in the stressful days following the initial quake when aftershocks were strong and frequent. And for many owners, checking on their dog’s safety was the first thing that entered their mind when the shaking stopped.”
“There are also the dogs who, before the quake, exhibited ‘odd’ behaviour as if they knew that something was on its way”, she says.
Stories of how animals behave before natural disasters are not new. For example, before the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, there were reports that elephants moved to higher ground. However, Ms Crisley wants to tell the story of Christchurch’s earthquake through the unique experiences of dogs in the area.
“Dogs and their owners share a unique and often loving bond. To me, it only seems fair to tell the story of the earthquake from the perspective of Canterbury’s dogs. And I’d rather see a book about the earthquake with cute photos of dogs rather than any more photos of destroyed buildings!”
Ms Crisley aims to compile a minimum of 50 stories before seeking a publisher for her book.
People wanting to share their dog’s story should submit it in writing along with suitable photos to info@caninecatering.co.nz or by post to P O Box 5199, Papanui, Christchurch 8542. There is also a direct email link on Canine Catering’s homepage www.caninecatering.co.nz. Owners should include their contact details so Kathleen can follow up with them.
For more information contact Kathleen Crisley, Canine Catering Ltd, 027 265 7648 or 03 354 0298
