I think that all of us would agree that there is nothing quite like having an animal by our side. In fact, many families would never even consider living without a beloved pet. Perhaps that is why we are so excited and our hearts are warmed so much when we hear about an animal that was helped in an unusual way. This particular one happened in New Zealand, and a city Council went out of their way to make sure that a sea lion pup had what they needed in order to be safe and sound as they were growing up.
Hiriwa is a sea lion in New Zealand that decided she would give birth to her fifth pup at the Chisholm Links golf course in Dunedin. It was highly unusual for her to do so and there was a special problem associated with it. You see, Hiriwa has to cross John Wilson Ocean Drive in order to get from the beach to her pup on the golf course. Those who are looking after the sea lion realized that it was a very dangerous situation so they decided to shut down John Wilson Ocean Drive to allow Hiriwa to get back and forth to her pup safely.
Although the road may have been closed for the next month, the Council says that you don’t have to avoid the area altogether. It is still possible for you to get to the course by bike or on foot but they give the warning that you should be cautious about any sea lions and give them plenty of room. That is especially true if you are walking your dog in the area.
It’s not every day that you see an entire road shut down for the benefit of one animal. If we had more kindness like this in the world, it would certainly be a much better place.