Susan Underwood: Off the leash and running wild

Charlie the long-haired jack russell terrier ran up a $956 vet bill after being bitten by a bigger dog.

Dogs' unpredictable behaviour, and the actions of some owners, can spoil a good time.

I was recently bitten by an off-the-leash Staffordshire bull terrier in my local park in Orewa.

The dog I was walking on a leash, a long-haired jack russell called Charlie, was also bitten.

He was badly traumatised and wouldn't eat for days afterwards. He had to go on a drip to keep him hydrated and his bites had to be treated. The dog bite to my wrist became infected and I developed cellulitis, requiring daily intravenous antibiotics for three days.

The owner of the bull terrier was negligent insofar as he did not keep his dog under control. It spotted my dog from a distance and made a beeline for us.

I was petrified that he would get hold of my dog and kill him. Dogs are so unpredictable and I knew what he was capable of doing.

I tried to keep him from reaching my dog. However, I fell over and was bitten on the wrist and my dog was bitten on the front and back leg. By that time, the owner had arrived at the scene and managed to pull the dog off.

The owner was very apologetic and offered his name and phone number to a kind man who had heard my screams and come to my assistance. I give him full credit for doing that as he could so easily have given false information.

We subsequently exchanged email addresses and he is in the process of reimbursing me for medical bills. I was naturally covered by ACC but there are always surcharges to pay. He has acted honourably in this matter.

My dog wasn't mine, as such. I was just looking after him for friends who were away for a few days. They have been wonderfully understanding because they realised that I had done my best for their dog. The vet's bill has come to $956 and the owner of the bull terrier is going to reimburse the owners for this expense.

The council has been dealing with this matter and I'm sure it will be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties. Apparently the man was entitled to have his dog off the leash, albeit under control.

It is really only on the sportsfield in the centre of the park where dogs have to be on a leash. There is a path around the park, along with other areas suitable for dog walking, and this is where people mainly walk with their dogs.

However, these are deemed to be off-leash areas of the park and it is often mayhem, with dogs running all over the place, none of them on a lead.

I have seen people arrive in cars, only to let their dogs out while they remain in their car. Another time, I saw a car being driven on the road through the park, with a dog running behind the car. That was the owner's way of exercising his dog.

I have friends with dogs who refuse to walk their dogs on the beach in Orewa. It is an off-leash area and they grow tired of other dogs running up to theirs, never quite knowing what the outcome will be.

Most dogs don't cause a problem, I realise that. It is such a shame that a few spoil it for the rest.

A year ago, a neighbour was walking her small dog on the beach. A larger dog ran over and she quickly picked up her dog. This other dog jumped up and badly scratched her leg and made it bleed.

The owner simply walked away, blaming my neighbour for obviously having thin skin. My neighbour developed cellulitis and had to be hospitalised.

I suppose we can always walk the streets, where dogs have to be on a leash. However, it is never as pleasant as walking in a park or on the beach. Our wounds have now healed but I just wish it wasn't such a precarious pastime.