80-year-old mauled by three pig-hunting dogs

An 80-year-old great-grandmother is in Christchurch Hospital after being mauled by three pig-hunting dogs.

West Coast woman Edna Thomas is waiting for a skin graft after the dogs ripped a hand-sized piece of flesh from her lower left leg. She also had puncture wounds on her inner left thigh and ribs as a result of the attack on Thursday night.

Her grandson, Johnny Groome, told The Press she had been worried for a month about her neighbours' dogs, which had been wandering on to her property in Ahaura, a Grey Valley town 40km north-east of Greymouth.

Armed with an umbrella, she decided to confront the dog owner after attempts to phone him failed.

Mr Groome said three dogs attacked her when she got to the back door. A fourth dog was kennelled during the attack.

"She was more than bitten -- it was a frenzy," Mr Groome said.

The attack only ended when a person in the house rushed to help Mrs Thomas.

Mr Groome said the dog owner immediately took the wounded woman to Mr Groome's house, also in Ahaura, from where the family drove her to Grey Base Hospital. She was taken by ambulance to Christchurch Hospital yesterday morning.

Mr Groome said the dog owner did his best to help Mrs Thomas after the attack and was remorseful.

Acting Senior Sergeant Allyson Ealam, of Greymouth police, told the newspaper they were investigating the attack in conjunction with Grey District Council animal control officers.

- NZPA