Auckland Council takes custody of dog behind serious attack on 7-year-old

Hunter Baldwin was left with serious facial injuries following the dog attack on Sunday afternoon. Photo / Supplied

The dog that attacked a 7-year-old Auckland boy is now in the care of the Auckland Council.

Hunter Baldwin needed stitches to his face and plastic surgery to repair his lip after the attack at Stillwater beach near Whangaparaoa on Sunday.

He was rushed to Starship children's hospital before being transferred to the plastic surgery department at Middlemore Hospital.

Council manager of animal management Nikki Marchant-Ludlow said the dog was now in the council's hands but she wasn't able to comment urther, as the investigation was ongoing.

She said the boy and his family were traumatised after the attack. "The boy and his family...have been left traumatised," she said.

Hunter was fishing with his family at Stillwater when he was bitten.

Hunter Baldwin was bitten on his cheek and lip in the attack. Photo / Supplied

After arriving at the beach, Baldwin and his two siblings asked their mother if they could pat a dog, which was unleashed.

Mother, Angela Rowley, told her children to avoid the dog, but she said the dog's owner insisted it was friendly and encouraged the children to pat it.

"The owner of the dog said, 'She is fine, she loves kids, she has grown up with children all her life', so they went and patted her," Rowley said.

Looking away for one moment, she heard the dog growl and then a child scream.

"I turned around after hearing a growl to see my son holding his face screaming."

She said she did not know the breed of the dog but described it as brindle.

The owner of the dog quickly left the scene after the attack without giving any contact details, Rowley said.

She and her son gave statements to animal control officers who came the beach to investigate.

"They will keep an eye out and will do some door knocking up a street the owner said he lived on to a local," Rowley said.

Rowley said her son hadn't wanted anyone to see him with the facial stitches. Doctors had predicted it could take up to six months to come right.