457 people and a dog set a Guinness World Record

27 October 2006

457 people and a dog set a Guinness World Record

A new Guinness World Record was set at Anderson’s Bay School in Dunedin today.

457 children, family members and teachers lined up to form the world’s longest human tunnel for a dog to run through. When the school got the idea earlier this year, the record stood at 222 people. Since then the record had climbed to 384. Today that was smashed not once but twice.

First of all Ella successfully attempted a run with 450 people. Ella is a terrier cross, owned and trained by Rosalie Lock.

Then seven people were added to the end of the tunnel and Aidee, a Border Collie owned and trained by Lynn van Beers, flew through 457 pairs of legs.

Both dogs train at the Otago Canine Training Club. Ella competes predominantly in agility, having won the ADX Silver award, while Aidee is multi-talented - she competes at purebred dog shows, in precision obedience, and in lightning fast agility competitions.

“We’re thrilled a new record was set,” Sara Edwards, President of the Otago Canine Training Club. “As a club, we like to get involved in community activities and this will be a great opportunity to work with the children”.

Helen Bickers, of the Anderson’s Bay School PTA, made sure everything was in place from independent observers to finding out the precise requirements for the record attempt and getting 400 children in a line. She says “The criteria for attempting to break a Guinness Book of World Records record is very precise and we have been so lucky with the support of our local community from the Otago SPCA and Otago Canine Training Club through to the St Kilda Veterinary Service. At the end of the day it will be up to the dogs and the children and adults forming the tunnel. I now understand why it has been said, never work with children and animals!”

The Otago Canine Training Club is one of 50 dog training clubs affiliated to the NZ Kennel Club. These clubs offer domestic training classes to the public who can learn how they and their dogs can be responsible members of the community.

Documents will now be sent off to Guinness Book of Records for certification of the record.

ENDS

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