Magnus the dog who was with owner Wayne O'Donnell when he was bitten by a roaming dog in Hastings, stopped any further damage from being done. Photo / Paul Taylor
A Hastings Navy veteran is angry that he wasn't able to march in this year's Anzac dawn parade after being bitten on the leg by a roaming dog.
As a result, Wayne O'Donnell, 68, no longer feels safe walking his dogs down his street.
He was walking his pet Magnus on Easter weekend when he was bitten by a dog that "came out of nowhere".
O'Donnell said the "brown pit-bull cross looking dog" bit the outer side of his calf, releasing only once Magnus bit the other dog.
"It would have been much worse without Magnus there," O'Donnell said.
He said numbers had significantly decreased over the past four years, despite the number of dogs increasing in line with population increases.
"There may have been an increase recently due to Covid-19 and people being at home as this provides more opportunity for doors and gates to be left open.
"When a public member is attacked or bitten by a dog, animal control undertakes a full investigation, interviewing complainants, victims, witnesses and offenders.
"Depending on the seriousness and circumstances, the dog may be seized and impounded, pending the outcome of prosecution," said Payne.
Animal Control has said there would be a full investigation of the dog attack on O'Donnell.