Dog owners appeal to Ombudsman

INSULT TO INJURY: The owners of injured dog, Thor, Breck Stewart and Anneke Wolterbeek are taking their case to the Ombudsman in an attempt to overturn a Masterton District Council ruling that the dog is menacing and so must be muzzled. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

The owners of a German shepherd dog seriously injured in a "frenzied" pack attack by pig dogs at Rangitumau have appealed to the Ombudsman to overturn a Masterton District Council order that their dog is classed as menacing and must be muzzled in public.

Anneke Wolterbeek and Breck Stewart are the owners of 4-year-old Thor, the injured dog left fighting for its life following the February incident on a public road. Thor underwent emergency surgery to save his life.

At the time, the pair laid a complaint with council saying hunter Rob Coulson's pig dogs were not under control at the time of the attack on February 8. Neither owner witnessed the initial attack as the dogs were out of view.

However, mid-March, the council classified all the dogs involved as menacing, including Thor, ordering them to wear a muzzle in public.

Ms Wolterbeek and Mr Stewart appealed the decision, vowing their dog would not be muzzled in public as it wasn't menacing.

At the time, Mr Stewart said Thor was "not a menace and he's not dangerous" and they would appeal the decision.

In June, the council rejected the appeal stating the committee couldn't "discount the fact Thor was the instigator".

This week, Ms Wolterbeek said they had lodged an appeal with the Ombudsman as they did not believe they had been treated fairly, as Thor wasn't dangerous.

"[The council] haven't done things right," she told the Times-Age.

The Ombudsman's office has confirmed they received the couple's application earlier this month but was unsure how long it would take before a decision would be reached.