Betty Hall was once told by a teacher she would never get a job after finishing school.

After 35 years as an animal services officer, she has proved them wrong.

“I wish I could show that teacher now,” says Betty.

There's been ups and downs during her time as an animal services officer at Western Bay of Plenty District Council, but her passion for animals and education has never wavered.

“There's nothing I love better than to help bring information and change.”

Local Democracy Reporting spoke to Betty about her career and her future plans after she retired earlier this month.

Growing up in Te Puke, with a stock agent father, her job was to help with the animals. This included horses, cats and huntaway dogs but Betty gravitated towards the canines. 

A life member of Mount Maunganui Dog Training Club, Betty started with them in the 1980s where she learnt dog agility and how to train dogs.

This gave her the confidence to apply for a job as an animal control officer at the Te Puke Borough Council.

Western Bay's spokesdog Alfie and Betty Hall in 2016. File photo: SunLive. 

After applying for the job, Betty saw the role advertised again. She questioned why, and was told they were looking for a man.

“They couldn't find someone with the knowledge, my skills, my training and so I started off part-time.”

The borough councils in Western Bay of Plenty amalgamated in 1989, forming the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

“That was the start of my career and I never thought I'd be here 35 years later. It's quite humbling really.”

The council has been “amazingly supportive” of Betty’s passion to educate people about dog training and care.

“A lot of councils stay with enforcement. It’s only with education that you're ever going to make a difference.”

In 2016 Betty founded the first Doggy Day Out, a fun day for dogs and owners involving training, education, dog agility and entertainment.

Betty estimated there were a few thousand dogs at the March Doggy Day Out in Ōmokoroa.

“Our Doggy Day Out now is such a huge event.”

 Betty Hall and her dogs Quinn, Neville and Alfie are moving to Northland. Photo: John Borren/SunLive. 

The annual day is the finale in the summer Wander Dogs series, another council-run initiative of dog walks in different parts of the region that start off with some training tips.

Betty has received threats and abuse in her role, but the hardest thing is seeing neglected dogs.

“I cannot walk past a kennel when there's dirty water or no water at all, or there's faeces. It’s incredibly distressing for me.

“It's such a simple thing fresh clean water and a clean kennel.”

The other is dogs that have to euthanised. Betty says she’s had tears with every dog she held while they were put to sleep.

“If I ever lost that then I shouldn’t have been in the job. If you didn't have that empathy or sadness.”

The animal lover is retiring to Northland with her three dogs, Alfie, Quinn and Neville.

All three dogs were rescued from the pound and Alfie is the council’s ‘spokesdog’. The lively Jack Russel might continue his official duties from his new home but his contract is still being negotiated.

“I’ve got a lovely quiet place up there, which my dogs are going to love.

“I just want some peace and quiet and rest. I've got lots of hobbies one of them is my dogs and I'm grateful to have three.”

Council animal services team leader Peter Hrstich says Betty is irreplaceable not only because of her skills but she’s very well known in the community.

“It's not going to be the same without the Betty aspect.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.