Roaming dog caught at college

Five Masterton District Council staff found and impounded a stray dog (picture display only). PHOTO/FILE

A "menacing" dog that was wandering the streets with no muzzle was eventually caught in the grounds of Chanel College.

On Tuesday the Masterton council asked the Times-Age to alert the public via its social media page that a dangerous dog, described as a male Staffordshire bull terrier cross, was roaming the Kuripuni area.

Five council staff spent most of the afternoon searching for the dog, which was located and impounded about 5pm.

The public had been told to not approach the dog.

It was one of two dogs at large, but the first one was located quickly, a council spokesman said.

The bull terrier is believed to be the same dog that rushed Chanel College students earlier this month.

Many posters on the Times-Age Facebook page came to the defence of the animal, saying it was well cared for and "far from dangerous", but others were more cautious.

Dani Patterson-Gibson posted that it was the same dog that chased her daughters home from school one day, and then tried to come into her house. "Luckily my dogs distracted it."

According to the Dog Control Act 1996, it is compulsory for a council to classify a dog as menacing if it belongs wholly or predominantly to a type of breed of dog banned from importation into New Zealand.

A dog can also be classified as menacing if it has a bad record or characteristics typically associated with the breed.

A dog classified as menacing must wear a muzzle in public.