Dogs attack five in minutes

Photo / NZ Herald

Two dogs attacked two children, a teenager, an elderly tourist and a dog control officer after escaping from their yard.

An 8-year-old boy and his 12-year-old sister were the first victims at Methven on Friday. They were walking home when they were bitten and dragged by the dogs, thought to be bull mastiff crosses.

They initially dragged the boy along the ground by his shoulder, then bit the back of the girl's neck and head when she fell while trying to help her brother.

Three teenagers passing in a vehicle stopped to help. One was bitten on the back of his leg as they got the children into their vehicle and drove them home.

The teenagers returned and saw a tourist looking panicked. His 67-year-old wife had been attacked and he was calling emergency services on his cellphone.

They helped the man before using their car to block the dogs in their yard.

The woman suffered a tear to her elbow, puncture marks to her arm and hip, a large cut to the back of her heel and a puncture wound to her foot. She required 25 stitches to her elbow and heel.

It is understood a dog control officer was bitten on the hand as he tried to get the dogs from his van to the pound.

Methven Constable Aaron Tapp said the dogs were loose for five to 10 minutes. "Had the dogs kept running around, God knows who they would have had a go at," he said.

They would be destroyed. APNZ