For those DoggieMamma readers
following this display of local government employee childishness and
apparent free-wheeling retaliation, here’s the latest . . . best read by first scrolling down to the Thursday, May 21 email from myself to the generic council email address, then dropping down to the bottom of the trail (where you’ll see timestamped emails that provide a sample insight of the current state of sleep-deprivation the nuisance barkers have me in, followed by a request for a meeting with Masterton’s - in my opinion, all-talk-and-no-action - Mayor, Rebecca “Bex” Johnson. (For more on the hijinks the Council is resorting to, to avoid that one,
go here.)
If you’ve ever wondered what a huddle of under-worked nasty little bureaucrats sniggering in self-satisfaction looks like in email form, scroll down.
From: editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Thursday, 21 May 2026 2:02 pm
To: 'Animal Services'
Cc: 'lucy.cooper@stuff.co.nz; 'Mayor Bex Johnson' <mayor@mstn.govt.nz>; (my lawyer's email address); 'gary.caffell@mstn.govt.nz' <gary.caffell@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Craig Bowyer' <craig.bowyer@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Waireka Collings' <waireka.collings@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Tim Nelson' <tim.nelson@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Jamie Falloon' <jamie.falloon@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Stella Lennox' <stella.lennox@mstn.govt.nz>; 'David Holmes' <david.holmes@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Brent Goodwin' <brent.goodwin@mstn.govt.nz>
Subject: RE: Undertaking Recorded - Dog Control Visit Promised to My Property ASAP Today
Mr Crawley:
Have you ever heard of the tort of Misfeasance in Public Office?
Jordan Kelly
From: editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Thursday, 21 May 2026 1:40 pm
To: 'MDC Admin - used for public queries' <mdc@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Animal Services' <animalservices@mstn.govt.nz>
Cc: 'lucy.cooper@stuff.co.nz'; 'Mayor Bex Johnson' <mayor@mstn.govt.nz>; (my lawyer's email address); 'gary.caffell@mstn.govt.nz' <gary.caffell@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Craig Bowyer' <craig.bowyer@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Waireka Collings' <waireka.collings@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Tim Nelson' <tim.nelson@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Jamie Falloon' <jamie.falloon@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Stella Lennox' <stella.lennox@mstn.govt.nz>; 'David Holmes' <david.holmes@mstn.govt.nz>; 'Brent Goodwin' <brent.goodwin@mstn.govt.nz>
Subject: RE: Undertaking Recorded - Dog Control Visit Promised to My Property ASAP Today
Would you please be clear.
I was just told by “Daz” that you will be sending someone to my property in the next short while today. I am sitting waiting for that visit. And the dog is going off while I sit waiting, for the record.
Is someone going to be conducting that promised visit today or not? If so, please provide an ETA. Or be clear that you’re not coming after all, despite the very clear and definite undertaking given to me by Daz that you would be.
Alternatively, if this is an ongoing situation where you are just going to go generically to (OTHER STREET) sometime
(when the dog might or might not be barking, and where you certainly will NOT hear anything like the degree of impact I am experiencing on MY property and in MY home and that I have been since December 2024) and repeat your entire dishonest scenario that has been going on for the past year and a half, please state that plainly for the record.
Further, from Gordon Crawley’s May 8 email where he otherwise dismissed all my supplied complaints and evidence out of hand, he at least committed to this:
From: Animal Services <animalservices@mstn.govt.nz>
Sent: Friday, 8 May 2026 1:53 pm
To:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Subject: Barking Complaints
. . .
If there are other incidences of barking please call our call centre at the time the barking is occurring and a member of the Animal and Bylaw Services Team will attend.
. . .
At this point, I am going to be very frank and say that it is also my view that additionally contributing to MDC’s conduct in this ongoing matter is retaliation for a past complaint I made about the Council’s Chief Executive, Kym Fell, albeit of course that would be denied.
See below email from you about the matter back in July 2025 in which Gordon Crawley admits to the fact that nuisance barking has most certainly been going on, albeit minimising it substantially, without due cause for such minimisation (see three-email exchange. Note also that Clare Williams and Bex Johnson were cc’d on this way back then also, as they have been by me in many emails since):
From:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Friday, 25 July 2025 1:10 pm
To: 'Animal Services'
animalservices@mstn.govt.nz
Cc: 'Clare Williams'
clarew@mstn.govt.nz; 'Rebecca Johnson'
bexj@mstn.govt.nz
Subject: RE: Barking dog complaint
This loud and agitating thing over the back corner has now been barking incessantly for approx. the last two hours, Gordon.
So it seems to me the only effect your visit of this week has had on the matter is to give the owner the impression she should take absolutely nil notice of the aggravation it’s causing.
I’ve called this morning and registered another complaint via your receptionist.
Jordan Kelly
From:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Wednesday, 23 July 2025 12:02 pm
To: 'Animal Services' <animalservices@mstn.govt.nz>
Subject: RE: Barking dog complaint
That’s making it sound like a one-off or an occasional thing, Gordon.
It’s not. It’s regular and increasing in frequency, as per my earlier comm’s.
What is especially annoying about it, is that the tiniest noise in the back of my own house (e.g. the toilet flushing or my saucepan cupboard doing a minor clang) sets it off. It’s invasive.
As for the “dog trainer”, that was the supposed remediation back at Christmas time. Obviously hasn’t worked. And obviously the story of the supposed owners (who were going to be organising for its export to wherever they’ve moved to) was a bunch of baloney.
The thing is majorly annoying. Especially given the volume and sharpness of its barking.
So, to be clear, it wasn’t just a fleeting one-off on Saturday night, much as it is convenient to endeavour to pass it off as such.
And also to be clear:
1) You’re clearly preferring the commentary of the dog owner over mine – and what’s wrong with that picture is obvious.
2) You don’t live here, so how can you make an authoritative judgement over whether it’s excessive or aggravating or not?
Jordan Kelly
From: Animal Services <animalservices@mstn.govt.nz>
Sent: Wednesday, 23 July 2025 11:33 am
To:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Subject: Barking dog complaint
Good morning,
Thank you for reporting your concerns to the afterhours call centre.
The Animal and Bylaw Services team have looked into your complaint about the barking dog on Saturday evening. The owner of the dog acknowledges that the dog was barking. The owners have engaged the assistance of a well-regarded dog trainer and have been employing the strategies the trainer gave them to mitigate barking by the dog.
Given the explanation provided by the owner of the dog to the team I do not consider that the dogs barking was excessive in the circumstances.
The owner is aware of the impact barking dogs have on other residents and is doing all the right things to mitigate any disturbance that might be caused.
Warm regards,
Gordon Crawley
Team Leader Animal and Bylaw Services
@MastertonDC
www.mstn.govt.nz
From: MDC Admin - used for public queries <mdc@mstn.govt.nz>
Sent: Thursday, 21 May 2026 1:09 pm
To:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com; MDC Admin - used for public queries <mdc@mstn.govt.nz>; Animal Services <animalservices@mstn.govt.nz>
Cc:
lucy.cooper@stuff.co.nz; Mayor Bex Johnson <mayor@mstn.govt.nz>
Subject: RE: Undertaking Recorded - Dog Control Visit Promised to My Property ASAP Today
Kia ora Jordan,
Receipt of your email is acknowledged.
We have raised a Complaints service request with the appropriate team for their understanding and consideration.
A response will be provided in accordance with our Compliments and Complaints Policy, with an expected response timeframe is 15 working days.
Ngā mihi,
Clare Williams
Customer Service Manager
@MastertonDC
www.mstn.govt.nz
From:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Thursday, 21 May 2026 2026 12:26 PM
To: MDC Admin - used for public queries <mdc@mstn.govt.nz>; Animal Services <animalservices@mstn.govt.nz>
Cc:
lucy.cooper@stuff.co.nz; Mayor Bex Johnson <mayor@mstn.govt.nz>
Subject: Undertaking Recorded - Dog Control Visit Promised to My Property ASAP Today
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to confirm and document my phone call to MDC Animal Services at 11.39am today, Thursday 21 May 2026, reporting active nuisance barking from the spaniel at (ADDRESS CITED), that has already been going on and off for several hours this morning, and follows yesterday’s on/off that went for the majority part of the day.
I was advised by “Daz” that an officer would attend as soon as possible and certainly that it would be very soon today.
I wish to place the following on the written record ahead of that visit:
I have ready at the door for your officers:
- Copies of two formal legal letters from my solicitor awaiting delivery today to both neighbouring properties under the Dog Control Act 1996 (see attached), and
- Paperwork documenting serious physical health consequences I am experiencing as a direct result of the ongoing sleep deprivation caused by the barking at both properties.
I am also attaching to this email an audio recording – a snippet of the on/off barking that continued for a large part of yesterday. Please note that even further to the already loud volume of this recording, even so it was being made only on a small mono-directional handheld office dictaphone which I held out my office window, and does not convey the full volume or impact of the barking. The battery on the device died at the end of this recording and I was unable to capture any part of this morning's barking. However, you will remember the sample recordings already published here along with the multiple I have previously sent the council and councillors: https://www.doggiemamma.com/nuisance-barking-mdc-selective-hearing
I wish to reiterate – as you will hear from your recording of my call this morning (and as I tell you every single time I write or call) – that your officers must come into my back yard, which shares a fence line with (ADDRESS CITED). This is where the dog stands and barks. Coming to the front of the property or to the street will not demonstrate the issue.
Also as per the call, I will not hear my front doorbell. Your officers must come to the small conservatory glass doors down the driveway on the right-hand side.
For a broader context of the matter, I also refer you to the formal meeting request I sent to Mayor Bex Johnson earlier this morning, a copy of which is below.
Jordan Kelly
(Street Address & Phone Number)
From:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Thursday, 21 May 2026 6:28 am
To: 'Mayor Bex Johnson' <mayor@mstn.govt.nz>
Cc: 'lucy.cooper@stuff.co.nz'
Subject: Formal Meeting Request - Discriminatory Enforcement of Dog Control Act
Dear Mayor Bex Johnson
I write as a resident of (MY ADDRESS), Masterton, regarding
Council’s discriminatorily selective application of its statutory obligations to ratepayers.
The matter relates to an ongoing nuisance barking situation involving two neighbouring properties that the Masterton District Council has failed to adequately address (or address at all) – one of them since December 2024.
I am writing again, this time in the wee small hours of Thursday 21 May 2026, having just been woken – again, as I am now almost nightly – this time at
4.45am (but
you can also see by the much earlier example timestamps on the below emails to my solicitor, the sort of pattern of multiple even earlier awakenings) by the hunting breed type dog at (ADDRESS CITED) barking directly adjacent to (and just a few metres from) my bedroom window. This property's new owners moved in around Easter this year and the barking has been disturbing my sleep throughout the night, regularly, since then.
This is in addition to an 18-month history of nuisance barking from the spaniel at (ADDRESS CITED), which borders my property at the side/rear, and regarding which I have made multiple formal complaints to the Council since December 2024.
My multiple attempts to seek the Council’s assistance over this matter are documented and published here, along with the extraordinary lengths I have gone to, to collect evidence for the Council and also to attempt to address the matter myself: https://www.doggiemamma.com/nuisance-barking-mdc-selective-hearing
and here:
https://www.doggiemamma.com/masterton-council-when-just-doing-your-job-would-be-a-whole-lot-easier
I have this week, through my solicitor at (NAME OF FIRM) issued formal legal letters to both neighbouring properties under the Dog Control Act 1996. I am taking this private legal action because the Council's response to date has been wholly inadequate.
Those letters are attached, for your information.
And again, I am also finally resorting to this because, as the above-linked published articles clearly demonstrate, the council appears to be acting in a plainly discriminatory manner towards me as a ratepayer, and practicing selective enforcement of its legal obligations.
And I am also writing to formally advise you and put on the formal record, that there have been very real health consequences to me of the cumulative sleep deprivation, and general high-intensity sustained stress and daily disruption, caused by this ongoing situation.
I am requesting a formal meeting with you to discuss the Council's obligations under the Dog Control Act 1996, to see what steps the Council intends to take to fulfill them, to see why it has not done so, and to
discuss why it continues not to do so in my case specifically.
I also cc this meeting request to local journalist, Lucy Cooper, as I believe the discrimination that appears to be at the root of this overall situation, would be of interest to her, as a local government issues specialist.
Further, I am also currently awaiting a response to an LGOIMA request filed on 15 May 2026 (now acknowledged by Ruth McEwen, Governance Advisor) regarding the Council's evidentiary requirements for nuisance barking complaints and its standard operating procedures, and
seeking a precedent that can demonstrate the need for the extent of evidence I have already provided to the Council over barking nuisance complaints: https://www.doggiemamma.com/masterton-council-when-just-doing-your-job-would-be-a-whole-lot-easier.
And again, here are the lengths to which I have already gone, to achieve Council’s resolution of this matter: https://www.doggiemamma.com/nuisance-barking-mdc-selective-hearing
I look forward to hearing from you with some optional dates. Please offer afternoon dates, as clearly, I am unable to obtain much sleep during the night as explained above, and I will not exactly be sharp and shiny in the mornings as a result.
Yours sincerely
Jordan Kelly
(Street Address & Phone Number)
From:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 6:39 am
To: Lawyer’s Email Address)
Subject: (Street Addresses of Two Barking Nuisances)
From:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Wednesday, 20 May 2026 2:42 am
To: (Lawyer’s Email Address)
Subject: (Street Addresses of Two Barking Nuisances)
From:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Sent: Monday, 18 May 2026 4:05 am
To:
editor@consumeraffairswriter.com
Subject: Barking log – (Nocturnal and Early Morning Barkers’ Street Address)
