Dog attack owner to face charges

Anne Ferguson could only listen in horror as the pitbull attacked her guide dog Perry. Photo / Christine Cornege

Hamilton police say they'll lay charges against the owner of a Staffordshire-cross bull terrier which attacked a seeing eye dog yesterday.

Eight-year-old golden labrador Perry was walking with his blind owner, Anne Ferguson, and her husband, Blair, when he was set upon by what is thought to be a Staffordshire-cross bull terrier at a shopping centre in Te Rapa yesterday afternoon.

The attacker is understood to have been in a car but saw Perry and ran across a carpark to attack him.

Mrs Ferguson, a Gold Coast PhD student who is visiting New Zealand on an academic trip, could do little as the attacker latched on to Perry's head.

Her husband was bitten as he tried unsuccessfully to release the seeing eye dog from the bull terrier's grip.

Perry, taught not to respond aggressively, stood in front of his owner as he took a mauling.

"He has no instinct to attack or to defend himself so he didn't do anything - his instinct was to look after me," said Mrs Ferguson.

"I remember thinking 'I can't help him'. I was thinking 'get this bloody thing off my dog', I thought he was going to kill Perry."

The attack happened at Hamilton shopping complex The Base. Janice Vaughan, acting manager of store Dog's Breakfast, said at first she thought the commotion outside her shop was "a bit of fisticuffs".

"We could hear the dog barking. It was in a vehicle but obviously it took exception to the labrador and just went for it."

Ms Vaughan said she saw the bull terrier locked on to Perry's head with Mrs Ferguson "absolutely distraught".

"She couldn't see a thing as this dog mauled her seeing eye dog - it's such an awful thing to happen on their holiday."

Another witness said the dogs were eventually separated before they brought Perry and the Fergusons inside the store.

"This is this woman's eyes we are talking about - it was just horrific for her and all of the bystanders who saw it happen. She was understandably terrified."

She said dog control officers arrived not long after as a crowd gathered to stop the other dog owner from leaving.

Hamilton police shift commander Craig Taylor said the bull terrier owner was likely to be prosecuted.

He was unsure of the dog's fate.

Perry was treated by a nearby veterinarian. He has cuts around his right eye and will be off work for at least two weeks on a course of antibiotics.

Mrs Ferguson wanted to thank the people who helped her and Perry.

She would like to come back to New Zealand but doubts Perry will be making the return trip.

She also worries about his future.

"There's the aspect of if he gets frightened by another dog or every other dog is a potential threat. That could mean he might not work again.

"But he's my best friend, he's my everything."

- with NZPA

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