'Savage attack': Dog attack in Napier park leaves chihuahua dead, another injured

Ben Simmons with 9-year-old Millie, one of two chihuahuas attacked by a pair of larger dogs at Ahuriri Park, Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland

One of two Chihuahuas "savagely" attacked by a larger pair of dogs on a walk at a Napier park has died.

Eight-year-old Hunter was rushed to an ICU facility in Palmerston North following the attack at Ahuriri Park, near Battery Rd on Sunday but died on Monday night.

His packmate Millie, a nine-year-old Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix, was also badly injured in the attack and is making a steady recovery.

Co-owner Ben Simmons earlier said they were always "very conscious" of where to go and always had leads, Hunter having been attacked by another dog before.

"Someone pulled up on the other side of the park and opened the door to let the dogs out.

"Those dogs made a beeline across the park and went straight for Hunter."

The attack was completely unprovoked, he said.

While the older man walking the dogs was trying to separate the one dog from Hunter, the other attacked Millie.

"It was all quite traumatising."

The two dogs were rushed to Carlyle Veterinary Clinic for care, with Hunter later taken to Palmerston North to a specialised ICU facility with multiple fractures and in need of several blood transfusions.

Millie suffered torn muscles, severe bruising and several lacerations.

She was still whimpering, and struggling to walk, eat or drink on Monday, but was "going to be okay".

The vet bills would be significant, he said.

It would also take the dogs a long time to recover and their personalities would likely change from the experience.

Simmons said the only silver lining was that the man walking the dogs, their co-owner who did not want to be named, wasn't attacked or bitten.

He said he was worried about what could happen to children or older people who frequent the park.

"There's been a real increase in these types of incidents. We don't want this happening to other people."

The incident had been reported to Police and Napier City Council.

Simmons was offering a $250 reward to anyone who leads him directly to the owners of the two attacking dogs, as they had not come forward.

The community response had also been very "humbling" with several already offering to help cover the vet bills.