Man hailed as hero for fighting attacking dogs

An Invercargill man is being hailed as a hero after fighting off two large dogs who were viciously attacking an elderly man in the city yesterday.

Phillip Devery stopped his car with his family inside on O'Byrne Street, Waikiwi, late yesterday morning when he saw the two dogs set upon a 70-year-old man.

Witness Margaret McLeod said Mr Devery had kicked one of the dogs away, grabbed a metal bar attached to the chain of the second dog, which was hanging onto the pensioner's arm, and started to hit it on the head.

"I thought it was going to kill him (the elderly man)," she told the Southland Times.

"It was horrendous, it really was."

Mr Devery eventually beat it off and both dogs ran to a nearby property.

Police subdued the dogs with pepper spray and a fire extinguisher.

They were later killed with their owner's consent, Senior Sergeant Richard McPhail of Invercargill police told the newspaper.

Mr Devery said he had probably saved the man's life, but anyone else in his position would have done the same.

The pensioner was treated, then discharged from Southland Hospital for puncture wounds to his arm.

- NZPA