Milo’s paw-sitive influence on Onehunga politics2 min read

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Milo is more than just a pet to Councillor Josephine Bartley; he’s her steadfast companion and, at 12 years old, her chief advisor.

Milo joined the Bartley household after being lovingly entrusted to the councillor by a friend who was moving overseas. Despite his age and a diagnosis of adrenal cancer, along with acupuncture treatment for pain relief and arthritis, this dedicated dog sees himself as the councillor’s personal secretary – sniffing out every constituent before they get to his high-profile human!

Milo’s day begins not with a run, but with a ritual. “My favourite thing to do first thing in the morning is wake up, I do morning prayers with my human, then I have a frantic treasure hunt for some treats.”

His job requires him to be on the move. While he helped lobby for pets on public transport, he finds the bus ride underwhelming as he has to sit on the floor, far from the action!

“I’d rather be up high so I can be on the same level and keep an eye on everyone,” he states. When Josephine is stuck in city meetings, Milo is cared for by his aunty and his Onehunga dog walker, ensuring his daily ‘hood walk’ keeps his territorial boundaries clearly marked. However, the best work happens on community days. “I feel like I’m her secretary because people come to me before they go to her and I have already snuffed them out,” Milo claims.

He doesn’t mind the social calendar, especially since attending local events usually involves a sausage sizzle. His preferred leisure spot is Maungakiekie, where the controlled environment of leashes allows him and his owner to enjoy walking and even a picnic. He insists his human’s drama over him using the ‘dog-safe plants’ in his preferred nap spot as nature intended, is entirely unwarranted.

Finally, when pressed for a secret about Josephine, Milo was happy to oblige. “She can’t sing to save her life,” he revealed, adding that sometimes her vocal efforts are so questionable he wonders if it’s “her or the neighbour’s annoying cat meowing.”

Despite life’s challenges, Milo encourages all his fellow Onehunga dogs to “know how lucky you are to have awesome places to go check out.