Auckland dog owners 'devastated' after Pomeranian killed by off-leash terrier

Miley the Pomeranian was attacked by an unleashed dog while out for a walk on Tuesday. Photo / Supplied

A grieving Auckland dog owner has been unable to sleep or eat since her beloved Pomeranian was fatally mauled by an unleashed Staffordshire terrier on Tuesday.

The grim attack is the second reported this week, and has left the dog's owners traumatised over the death of their "little girl".

"We don't have kids, she was my baby," said Massey woman Olga. She and husband Augusto did not want their surnames used.

"We've been married for 10 years, she's my little girl," Augusto said of the 7-year-old pup Miley, who had to be put down on Tuesday night because of her injuries.

Olga was walking Miley near their home on Tuesday evening when they passed a man who was out training with exercise equipment. Olga had seen him before but had never seen a dog with him.

On this occasion, Olga and Miley were passing by the man, who was about 20 or 30 metres away, when an unleashed dog suddenly appeared.

"His dog just came rushing from behind, it just happened so fast," Olga said.

The dog grabbed Miley in its jaws and began shaking her, until Olga grabbed it and pushed it away.

The dog returned to attack again as Olga shielded Miley with her body - at which point the owner grabbed his dog and started yelling at it.

"He didn't ask anything, he didn't offer any help," Olga said.

Olga said Miley was her "baby". Photo / Supplied

"My dog was screaming from pain and he was just standing there and doing nothing."

The entire attack took just "seconds", she said.

Olga picked up Miley and rushed her to the vet, where she was told they could try to save the pet with surgery but it was unlikely she would even survive the night.

Miley had multiple broken ribs, punctures to her lungs, and damage to her internal organs.

Olga and Augusto made the difficult decision to put her down.

The couple called animal control and were told it was unlikely they'd be able to track down the dog.

Miley, 7, was put down after the attack. Photo / Supplied

After burying Miley on Wednesday morning, the pair went for a walk around the neighbourhood and were able to spot the dog through the window of a house.

Animal control seized the dog that evening.

They want the dog to be put down and the owner to be prosecuted and banned from owning dogs.

Olga said she was "devastated" at Miley's death and has struggled to sleep or eat since the attack.

"It's the joy of my life, it's my baby," she said.

"I don't want to come back home to an empty home and just quiet and nothing.

"I wish the dog attacked me instead. I would be fine, but not my baby."

Auckland Council's manager of animal management Sarah Anderson confirmed they received a report of a Staffordshire terrier-type dog attacking a Pomeranian in Massey.

"Our staff carried out a patrol of the area. They could not locate the dog at that stage.

"Later, with the help of family members, they were able to track down the attacking dog's owner, and seize the animal."

It is currently being held at Henderson Shelter, while staff investigate the incident.

Miley's owners contacted the Herald after seeing a similar story in the news today about another Pomeranian in Dunedin that was fatally mauled.

Thor, a 15-year-old Pomeranian, was attacked by an off-leash bull mastiff during a walk on the beach on Wednesday.

The dog "came barrelling over in a very dominant way," Ali Grant said.

When Thor barked at the newcomer, it pinned him down with its mouth.

Then it lifted him into the air and shook him, breaking his neck.

"He had this huge wound on his back, this dog just cleaned him up really, really quickly," she said.

The dog's owner threw himself on his pet to force it release Thor, before taking it further away. He did not give them any contact details.