Father's heart-felt message to victims

John Anderson with his daughter Carolina. Photo / Doug Sherring

It is all too familiar for Auckland dad John Anderson.

His daughter, Carolina, now 16, was playing under a sprinkler at Coxs Bay in Westmere when an American pitbull terrier cross pounced on her from behind and attacked. She was just 7.

"Now another child has been seriously maimed and disfigured by a family pet," Anderson said.

"Eight years on our daughter is still undergoing surgery on a regular basis.

"These children from today have got that ahead of them."

It took Anderson and another man to pull the dog off her.

"She had been thrashed around like a rag doll, by the head."

Carolina's Italian mother Sandra watched the incident unfold in fear the dog might have rabies, a disease commonly transmitted through dog bites in Europe.

Anderson went back to the park with sterile bags to collect pieces of his daughter's skull and facial tissue which had been ripped out.

The next day, she endured 10 hours in the operating theatre. She came out with more than 200 stitches across her face.

"I have watched her many times crying as she goes into the operating theatre, wishing it could be me there on her behalf," Anderson said.

Carolina's face was permanently disfigured.

"She has the personality to deal with it. She's very outgoing. She's had to cope with a few incidents but by in large people are very good."

Anderson said his heart went out to the latest families to fall victim to dog attacks. "The little girl will need a lot of support."