KEY POINTS:
A Palmerston North preschooler will need plastic surgery to her face after she was attacked by a pitbull at her kindergarten yesterday.
Four-year-old Kenya Tripp had a chunk taken out of her bottom lip when the dog jumped on her as she tried to pat it outside Campbell Street Kindergarten at lunchtime, the Manawatu Standard reported.
Sergeant Doug Seal said the dog, which he believed was a pitbull cross, had been tied to a fence near the preschool's gates while its owner collected a child from inside.
"Kenya's mother had parked near the dog and as they walked to the car she told her not to go near it," Mr Seal said.
"But as most four-year-olds tend to do, they go anyway, and before she could pat it, it jumped up and bit her."
The owner told police she would have the dog put down immediately, although the action was yet to be confirmed.
Mr Seal said charges would likely be a "last resort".
"It's a bit unfortunate for everyone involved, it's not like this dog was running loose," he said.
MidCentral Health spokesman Dennis Geddis said Kenya was transferred yesterday from Palmerston North to another hospital for further treatment.
- NZPA
