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Otago Daily Times
17-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Vet's hackles up over proposed mural
The artist behind a proposed central city mural of a British bulldog says he is only trying to make people smile after a Dunedin veterinarian said the artwork would go against an international stance on animal welfare. The proposed mural by Palmerston North artist SwiftMantis has been granted resource consent by the Dunedin City Council and is intended to be painted on the side of the Mansfield Apartments building, at the corner of Bond and Liverpool Sts. The building formerly displayed Love is in the Air , painted by Polish street artist Natalia Rak in May 2015, which depicted a girl giving a boy holding a lollipop a kiss as they sit together on a red bench. That mural was painted over in March last year so the wall could be repaired. Its replacement is set to depict a British bulldog that references the area's history. Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa managing director Helen Beattie said she was concerned the proposed artwork could "drive behaviour" that was not ideal. British bulldogs were classed as brachycephalic — their snub noses meant they did not oxygenate properly and could cause breathing issues. There was a lot of misunderstanding about the health impacts on animals which were "welfare compromised", Dr Beattie said. Animal welfare campaigns such as the British Veterinary Association's "Breed to Breathe" called for the avoidance of imagery of brachycephalic dogs in advertising, social media and marketing materials to reduce demand and prevent the normalisation of health issues. The mural would be breaking an "international unwritten code", she said. "I would much rather see a healthy, non-welfare compromised breed there than a bulldog." New Zealand Veterinary Association companion animal veterinarians branch president Becky Murphy said the association shared Dr Beattie's concerns. There was a "strong international consensus" that promoting welfare-compromised breeds, such as the British bulldog, in public artwork risked normalising extreme physical traits linked to significant health issues including lifelong breathing difficulties, skin infections and other chronic conditions, she said. "Public depictions, however well-intentioned, may inadvertently reinforce demand for exaggerated features that compromise dogs' ability to live comfortably. "There are many alternative breeds with far fewer welfare concerns which could be considered as more responsible choices for public celebration." SwiftMantis said he could understand the veterinarians' perspective. The mural was "simply meant to inspire a little joy in the viewer from the joy of the dog, maybe even promote a smile!". He had been trying to paint a large-scale mural in Dunedin for many years and had wanted to create something unique on a grand scale for the city to enjoy. His initial design depicted a "giant short-tail native bat climbing out of the wall", but this was rejected and the bulldog requested instead, he said. It could be hard to get large-scale projects such as this over the line. "Honestly, I think this bad press is most likely going to tank the whole project anyway, which really sucks for everyone involved who worked so hard to do something epic for Dunedin." The Dunedin Street Art Trust did not respond to a request for comment before deadline.
Otago Daily Times
17-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Hackles up over proposed mural
The artist behind a proposed central city mural of a British bulldog says he was only trying to make people smile after a Dunedin veterinarian said the artwork would go against an international stance on animal welfare. The proposed mural by Palmerston North artist SwiftMantis has been granted resource consent by the Dunedin City Council and is intended to be painted on the side of the Mansfield Apartments building, at the corner of Bond and Liverpool Sts. The building formerly displayed Love is in the Air , painted by Polish street artist Natalia Rak in May 2015, which depicted a girl giving a boy holding a lollipop a kiss as they sit together on a red bench. That mural was painted over in March last year so the wall could be repaired. Its replacement is set to depict a British bulldog that references the area's history. Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa managing director Helen Beattie said she was concerned the proposed artwork could "drive behaviour" that was not ideal. British bulldogs were classed as brachycephalic — their snub noses meant they did not oxygenate properly and could cause breathing issues. There was a lot of misunderstanding about the health impacts on animals which were "welfare compromised", Dr Beattie said. Animal welfare campaigns such as the British Veterinary Association's "Breed to Breathe" called for the avoidance of imagery of brachycephalic dogs in advertising, social media and marketing materials to reduce demand and prevent the normalisation of health issues. The mural would be breaking an "international unwritten code", she said. "I would much rather see a healthy, non-welfare compromised breed there than a bulldog." New Zealand Veterinary Association companion animal veterinarians branch president Becky Murphy said the association shared Dr Beattie's concerns. There was a "strong international consensus" that promoting welfare-compromised breeds, such as the British bulldog, in public artwork risked normalising extreme physical traits linked to significant health issues including lifelong breathing difficulties, skin infections and other chronic conditions, she said. "Public depictions, however well-intentioned, may inadvertently reinforce demand for exaggerated features that compromise dogs' ability to live comfortably. "There are many alternative breeds with far fewer welfare concerns which could be considered as more responsible choices for public celebration." SwiftMantis said he could understand the veterinarians' perspective. The mural was "simply meant to inspire a little joy in the viewer from the joy of the dog, maybe even promote a smile!". He had been trying to paint a large-scale mural in Dunedin for many years and had wanted to create something unique on a grand scale for the city to enjoy. His initial design depicted a "giant short-tail native bat climbing out of the wall", but this was rejected and the bulldog requested instead, he said. It could be hard to get large-scale projects such as this over the line. "Honestly, I think this bad press is most likely going to tank the whole project anyway, which really sucks for everyone involved who worked so hard to do something epic for Dunedin." The Dunedin Street Art Trust did not respond to a request for comment before deadline.
Otago Daily Times
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Bulldog mural to replace kissing kids
A British bulldog will replace a pair of lovestruck children as the new face of a central Dunedin building. The Dunedin City Council has granted resource consent for a new mural on the side of the Mansfield Apartments building, at the corner of Bond and Liverpool Sts. It was previously home to the mural Love is in the Air , painted by Polish street artist Natalia Rak in May 2015, which depicted a girl giving a boy holding a lollipop a kiss as they sit together on a red bench. That mural was painted over in March last year, the Dunedin Street Art Trust at the time saying the building's owners had needed to remove it so repairs to the wall could be undertaken. But Rak told the Otago Daily Times she had not received any information about the removal of her artwork and the news left her sad. The proposed new mural would depict a British bulldog, a consent report said. "The artist chosen by the applicant specialises in animal murals and after their discussion with the owners of the building, the bulldog was chosen for its visual interest. "The bulldog also references a historic building located next door to the building the mural is being painted on. This building was the home of the South British Insurance Company. "The Union Jack on the collar is a specific reference to that business/building name." Dunedin Street Art Trust chairman Glen Hazelton confirmed the artist was SwiftMantis, of Palmerston North, who is known for his large scale hyper-realistic wildlife murals — particularly of re-homed stray cats. ''But we thought a dog was a better example in this space,'' Dr Hazelton said. SwiftMantis' work also includes portraits of the late Dunedin-born eye doctor Fred Hollows and famed Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, both in Palmerston North. The artist is yet to have painted an artwork in Otago, but has previously in Invercargill and Winton. There were already a lot of murals of native wildlife around Dunedin, and it would be nice to have something different this time, Dr Hazelton said. The trust had wanted an artwork that shared the realistic elements of Love is in the Air and would appeal to the same people who enjoyed that artwork, while not looking too similar. While they would have liked to see Rak return, but who could not due to personal circumstances, Dr Hazelton said he hoped she could paint another mural in the city in the future. ''In the meantime, it's great to have something going back up on the wall and we're really happy with the artist we're working with.'' It was hoped the new mural could be completed by summer this year, he said.
Otago Daily Times
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Bulldog mural to fill space
Love is in the Air was painted on the side of the Mansfield Apartments building in 2015 by Polish artist Natalia Rak. Photo: Gerard O'Brien A British bulldog will replace a pair of lovestruck children as the new face of a central Dunedin building. The Dunedin City Council has granted resource consent for a new mural on the side of the Mansfield Apartments building, at the corner of Bond and Liverpool Sts. It was previously home to the mural Love is in the Air, painted by Polish street artist Natalia Rak in May 2015, which depicted a girl giving a boy holding a lollipop a kiss as they sit together on a red bench. That mural was painted over in March last year, the Dunedin Street Art Trust at the time saying the building's owners had needed to remove it so repairs to the wall could be undertaken. But Rak told the Otago Daily Times she had not received any information about the removal of her artwork and the news left her sad. The proposed new mural would depict a British bulldog, a consent report said. A design for a proposed mural depicting a British bulldog on the Mansfield Apartments building, at the corner of Bond and Liverpool Sts, by Palmerston North-based artist SwiftMantis. Photo: supplied "The artist chosen by the applicant specialises in animal murals and after their discussion with the owners of the building, the bulldog was chosen for its visual interest. "The bulldog also references a historic building located next door to the building the mural is being painted on. This building was the home of the South British Insurance Company. "The Union Jack on the collar is a specific reference to that business/building name." Dunedin Street Art Trust chairman Glen Hazelton confirmed the artist was SwiftMantis, of Palmerston North, who is known for his large-scale hyper-realistic wildlife murals — particularly of rehomed stray cats. "But we thought a dog was a better example in this space," Dr Hazelton said. The trust had wanted an artwork that shared the realistic elements of Love is in the Air and would appeal to the same people who enjoyed that artwork, while not looking too similar.
