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An 8-year-old Auckland boy and a teenage girl were attacked yesterday by two vicious pitbull terriers, which police wanted to shoot as soon as they saw them.
Jackson Williams, 8, was dragged to the ground by the dogs and bitten before bystanders pulled them off him; 15-year-old Te Aroha Pakuivi was bitten on the leg. Jackson received stitches from the mauling, which was the third in Papakura in just 24 hours.
The latest attack comes a week after 56-year-old Murupara woman Virginia Ohlson was mauled to death by an unregistered pitbull and a Staffordshire cross.
The owner of the dog that attacked the children yesterday, Nick Moke, 36, last night said he knew his 3-year-old pitbull Cyrus was dangerous. He identified the other dog in the attack as Tyson, a 6-year-old pitbull.
Moke said: "He's [Cyrus] a dangerous dog, he just bites people.
"Yesterday he bit an old fella in the street. I would rather they [police] killed the dogs because it could be worse next time."
Last night, Papakura District Council animal control officers put both dogs down.
A witness, Jo-Ann, 46, a cleaner, said she watched the dogs maul Te Aroha, then her auntie and when she went to call the police, she watched as they pounced on Jackson Williams.
"They took him to the ground. They were biting him. He was crying. I dropped the phone and ran out to grab Jackson. If both the dogs had latched on at once, he would be dead. I'm glad he's alive." A nearby man helped pull the dogs off Jackson.
Jackson's father James Williams said the boy was in shock.
"He could have died. He received three stitches on his right leg, and there's scratch wounds on his left leg."
Moke said neither dog was registered, and microchipping was "too expensive".
"It's all good, because I've been thinking about putting them down since the incident last week [Murupara]. It's pretty scary, all the attacks recently. The owners like me have been neglecting dogs.
"The only good thing is we will save money on pet food."
Moke said both dogs were "good guard dogs; they keep the burglars away".
He said he had been to see the victims and apologised. "It could have been my kids."
Moke said he expected to be charged by police. "I take full responsibility."
Last night, other large dogs roamed Rountree Place where the attack occurred, barking at the groups of children playing.
Among them was Te Aroha, who lives at the Takanini Caravan Park, close to the dog owner's house. She had left the caravan park to visit a relative when the dogs attacked.
"They came running out and charged at us. My auntie hit the dog with a stick and the dog bit me... It was sore and painful."
Animal Control Services manager Ken Muir told the Herald on Sunday the dogs were not registered and were unknown to control services.
Muir said it was the third bite incident he had been called to yester-day, including one involving a postal worker.
"I don't know why we've got this spate of attacks."
He said it emphasised the need for owners to register their dogs and keep them under control and fenced.
"This just adds to the point that it's mostly unregistered dogs that cause the problems. People are responsible for managing their dogs.
"If these two dogs were behind a fence at the back of the property, it's likely this would never have happened. They've been bitten when it's all preventable."
Papakura sergeant Steve Greally said one of the dogs tried to attack when he arrived. He was preparing to shoot it when its owners returned home. "It was very close to being shot, we were ready to do it.
"They were both very aggressive dogs who've jumped a low, rickety fence and attacked a young boy, just a tiny little kid, and a teenage girl," said Greally.
"They were not restrained, they're out on the street attacking people. It's unacceptable. Another case of microchipping gone wrong."
Week of the dog
Saturday, April 21: Murupara mother Virginia Ohlson, 56, dies after being savaged by a pitbull and Staffordshire cross belonging to her nephew, Shane Ruruhe.
Monday, April 23: An 85-year-old Auckland woman is bitten in the face by a rottweiler in a supermarket carpark.
Tuesday, April 24: Virginia Ohlson's 15-year-old son, Jason, says he's forgiven Ruruhe and the whanau doesn't want him prosecuted as the killer dogs' owner.
Saturday, April 28: Eight-year-old Jackson Williams and Te Aroha Pukuivi, 15, are attacked by two pitbulls in South Auckland. Jackson is hospitalised.
- additional reporting Jared Savage, Miles Erwin
