Flesh 'literally dangling' from girl, 10, after dog attack

Mother Priya Vijayan says she can't get out of her mind the trauma of the dog attacking her daughter, Sree V. Nair. Picture / Paul Estcourt

The family of a 10-year-old girl who was attacked by a dog and left with "flesh literally dangling" from her hand last night welcomed news that the dog had been destroyed.

Sree V. Nair received seven stitches to her hand after she was attacked while walking with her brother to buy icecreams in Te Atatu Peninsula on Thursday afternoon.

Family friend Sunil Kumar said the pitbull terrier cross was uncollared and unleashed when it leapt at Sree's face.

"She put both her arms in front of her face but the dog kept attacking. She had flesh literally dangling from her hand," Mr Kumar said.

Sree and her brother ran to their home in nearby Karamu St and their mother, Priya Vijayan, went to scare the dog away but was also bitten.

Eventually a woman, thought to be the dog's owner, managed to seize control of it and take it away.

The Waitakere City Council said a dog control officer was at the scene within 10 minutes but the animal was not at its registered address.

It was believed the owner had initially taken the dog into hiding.

Animal welfare manager Neil Wells said the council obtained a search warrant yesterday and visited the address with police just after 5pm.

He said the owner would not be prosecuted in return for handing the dog over.

Mr Wells confirmed the council had received complaints in the past but described them as "minor" and involving the dog being "on the loose, getting into rubbish and challenging people".

The owner had received warnings, he said.

Mrs Vijayan said she was happy the dog had been destroyed.

"No one can pay me back for my daughter's trauma. The tragedy I saw in front of my eyes. I can't just take it out of my mind."

Sree's father, Vijayan Nair, said the family were in shock.

"Sree wants to go back to India, as simple as that. She won't leave the house. I'll have to take her to school in my car."

He said the dog had been wandering the neighbourhood unrestrained for the last month.