The pitbull was locked up at the Waitakere City pound before being destroyed. Photo / Paul Estcourt
An aggressive guard dog that attacked its owners' 2-year-old son has been destroyed with their consent.
Reports that they did not want the dog put down were "all wrong", angry family members told the Herald on Sunday yesterday.
Experienced animal welfare officers had labelled the American pit bull
the "most aggressive" dog they had ever encountered.
It bent one of two strong aluminium catch poles in its efforts to evade capture, and officers had been unable to enter its cage to remove its chain since Thursday's horrific attack, which occurred while the dog was chained to its kennel.
The toddler last night remained in intensive care at Starship Hospital. He has a broken jaw, severe facial injuries and swelling to the head and face.
His distraught parents were keeping a bedside vigil.
The couple was not speaking to media but the boy's grandfather said the family was "hurting" and reports the boy's father wanted to keep the dog were "all wrong".
"The dog was buried this morning," he said.
He said the attack had happened after a moment's inattention, and his daughter, son-in-law and grandson were dealing with the awful consequences.
When asked about the choice of breed in a house with children, he said "they made a mistake with the breed, too."
Waitakere City Council animal welfare manager Neil Wells said the attack was the first his officers had recorded by a pit bull. How dogs were trained, rather than their breed, determined their aggression levels.
He said the "remorseful" owner had backed down from initially wanting to keep the animal, which had been trained as a guard dog.
"He has now had time to contemplate the seriousness of the situation. It's a complete tragedy."
Another dog at the property was also under investigation but officers had no immediate concerns for anyone's safety, Wells said.
