Dog put down after attack on cyclist

A Christchurch man who spent five days in hospital after he was attacked by a dog on a central city street says he is pleased the animal has been destroyed.

Norm Harpur received skin grafts and 36 stitches after the German shepherd-cross ran out from a property and attacked him as he was cycling on Cashel St on April 21.

A Christchurch City Council spokesman confirmed yesterday the dog had been destroyed after the owner gave her permission.

Mr Harpur, 55, a beneficiary, yesterday said he was heading back to hospital today for further treatment to a wound the size of a "tobacco pouch" on his right calf.

"About bloody time," he said when told the dog had been destroyed.

"I had the district nurse here this morning and the skin grafts don't seem to be taking," Mr Harpur said.

He understood the dog was owned by a woman who was terminally ill in hospital and that it was being looked after by a man in his early 20s at the time of the attack.

"He seemed very remorseful at the time."

Mr Harpur said he'd never seen the dog before.

"He whipped out of a house, came up to me, took one chunk out of my leg and ran away.

"You don't expect to be biking along the road for exercise and all of a sudden a freaking dog comes out of a house and takes your leg off," he said.

"I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Asked what he thought about the Government's plan to microchip all dogs, Mr Harpur said it was "a complete and utter waste of time".

He said that while microchips might mean the owners of offending dogs could be traced more quickly through microchips, they would never prevent an attack such as he experienced.

"Microchipping is not going to make any difference to any dog," Mr Harpur said.

He expected he would be "off my feet" with his injuries for at least another three weeks.

- NZPA