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A two-year old boy has serious facial injuries and a broken jaw after being attacked by the family pitbull dog in Auckland this afternoon.
The pitbull attacked the child in the Auckland suburb of Te Atatu.
"The child has wandered into the dog's area and has been attacked, suffering quite serious injuries and has been taken to the Starship Hospital," Sgt Brian Leslie of Henderson Police told One News.
The dog, which was chained in the backyard, was taken away by Animal Control officers.
Police are questioning family members and Waitakere City Council wants the dog destroyed.
The Government has been trying to control dangerous dog breeds by introducing compulsory microchipping to identify dogs following an attack in 2003 on seven-year-old Carolina Anderson.
Owners can be jailed or fined up to $20,000 for owning a dog involved in a serious attack.
- NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF
