Grandfather savaged by dog after dropping off children

By BRIDGET CARTER

A 76-year-old man suffered "horrendous" thumb and arm injuries when he was savaged by an unknown dog after walking his grandchildren to school.

The man was last night recovering in Middlemore Hospital after four hours of plastic surgery to wounds caused by the attack - the second vicious dog attack in a week.

The attack happened early yesterday near shops at Manurewa when the victim was on the way back from dropping off his grandchildren, Middlemore Hospital plastic surgeon Bruce Peat said last night.

Mr Peat said the surgery was required to repair damage to his thumb, which the dog had bitten right through.

He said the dog, which had short, yellow hair, "came out of nowhere" and launched itself at the man.

"It is a horrendous injury. It is one of the worst thumb injuries I have seen. For that to happen to anybody is just shocking."

The case comes only days after Tokoroa woman Tui Thompson was mauled by her pitbull mastiff while walking in the park with two young children.

Manukau City deputy mayor Anne Candy said a number of dog attacks had occurred in the area a few years ago, as well as dogs just roaming the street, but that it had "got a lot better of late".

She said the attack was a timely reminder for dog owners to take responsibility for their dogs.

"Anyone should be able to walk any street without fear of being attacked by a dog ... It just as easily could have been a toddler.

"People who are going to have dogs need to know how to be responsible owners and keep their dogs under control," Mrs Candy said.

John Anderson, whose daughter, Carolina, was savaged by two dogs in Coxs Bay last year, described the man's injuries as "horrific" and said it was lucky that his grandchildren were not with him at the time.