KEY POINTS:
A woman viciously attacked by a pitbull terrier in the country's second serious attack within a week was looking after the dog while its owner was in prison, Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws says.
The 33-year-old Castlecliff woman was seriously injured after being mauled by the dog about 5pm yesterday.
The attack follows the savaging of a two-year-old Auckland boy last Thursday, leaving him with a broken jaw and severe facial injuries. The dog, owned by the toddler's father, was destroyed on Saturday. The father will not face charges, as the attack happened on private property, and the dog was restrained at the time of the attack.
Mr Laws said the attack in Wanganui was unprovoked.
The woman had suffered "significant," although not life-threatening, injuries in the mauling.
The dog, a tan pitbull, had been seized by animal control officers and the council was waiting for the woman to recover sufficiently to give permission for its destruction.
Mr Laws said the dog's owner was in prison, and so the woman was effectively the owner.
If permission was not forthcoming, the council would seek a court order.
"It is unlikely we will prosecute, but the dog will be destroyed," Mr Laws said.
"My council has taken a very hard line on dog attacks."
Mr Laws said the council had allocated extra funding to increase animal control, and prosecute the owners of dangerous dogs.
- NZPA
