A 12-year-old boy suffered serious facial injuries when he was bitten by a dog near Turangi this morning.
YouthTown Rescue Helicopter pilot Todd Dunham said the incident occurred in a forestry area on the outskirts of the town.
"It was quite a severe facial injury," he said.
The boy was treated at the scene and taken to Taupo Hospital by St John Ambulance.
He was then flown to Waikato Hospital at about 2pm.