A 9-year-old Rotorua girl suffered deep cuts to her head and arm after a neighbour's American bulldog attacked her.
Frightened children who tried to help when Stevie-Rebecca Shipgood was attacked thought she was going to die.
The dog's owner, who did not want to be named, said his partner was walking the 2-year-old dog, Riley, on a lead
about 2.30pm yesterday on Te Ngae Rd near Puketawhero Park.
There were six children with her including her own and Stevie-Rebecca who was bouncing a ball when Riley jumped up and bit her arm and head.
The man's partner tried to pull Riley off the girl, then blocked her from the dog. In tears, a girl who was with the group told The Daily Post she hit the dog to try to get it off Stevie-Rebecca.
"I was scared she was going to die."
The dog owner said a worker at Piako Tractors intervened and got the dog off the girl. Emergency services were called and an ambulance, police and Animal Control attended.