Old pet used as dog bait

An elderly dog is recovering at Wellington SPCA after he was deliberately set on by two pit bulls yesterday in Porirua.

At midday, Lincoln, a 14-year-old ridgeback cross, was attacked by the pit bulls in Whitireia Park.

Lincoln was stolen from his Titahi Bay home early on Monday morning and it appeared he was taken to be used as a bait dog, SPCA animal welfare inspector Ben Lakomy said.

A witness who rang police said the two pit bulls were let off their chains and set on Lincoln.

After the elderly dog tried to defend himself against one of the dogs, one of the owners tried to break Lincoln's legs by pulling them apart.

The dogs were "ripping" into Lincoln, the witness, who wished to remain anonymous said.

"It was disgusting to let the other dogs attack the old dog like that," she said

As more people started arriving at the park, the pit bull owners took their dogs and left. There were about five people involved in the attack, the witness said.

Lincoln had to be coaxed out of a toilet block where he was hiding and was taken to a vet to have his wounds stapled.

Lincoln's owners had been found and they had visited the dog at Wellington SPCA's vet hospital.

Wellington SPCA was offering a reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.

- NZPA