Rachael Dods had been visiting a friend with her children, Reuben, 11, and Briana, 8, a few blocks from their Te Awe Awe St home on Sunday about 1.30pm when she told them they could walk their cairn terrier home.
The children set off with Brodie and Mrs Dods got into her car, but seconds later she heard screams and ran to her children and dog.
Her son later told her what had happened.
"The dog just came running and just picked Brodie up and shook him around and then held him down," she said.
"Reub's a real sensitive boy ... he's just got this bond with Brodie."
The children tried to help Brodie and then fled to the friend's house, closely followed by Mrs Dods.
"I didn't want to see what was going to happen – I thought Brodie was dead," she said.
Brodie was taken to a veterinarian and had to have a drain inserted in his neck and stitches.
The drain was due to be removed today but the stitches would remain until next week.
The offending dog was put down.
[Odd, no mention of the breed.]
Mrs Dods said her children were horrified by what they had seen.
"The kids didn't even want to look at Brodie," she said.
"I would just like people to be aware when they let their kids walk dogs, it's not safe," she said.
"We won't let the kids do it again and they won't feel confident ... what they had to see that day will haunt them."
The vet bill had so far reached $600, but the Dods family were not seeking reparation as they believed the dog's owner felt bad about the attack.
[Wow, I hope if I ever cause a car accident it involves this woman. All I would have to do is say I felt bad and she wouldn't hold me responsible for the 1000s, possibly 100,000s in medical and car repair bills!
Maybe if she held the owner accountable, then the owner might think twice about getting another dog and being irresponsible with it. Y'think??]
Palmerston North City Council environmental protection services acting head Michelle Wolfsbauer said the children had been given booklets on how to cope with dogs.
"If you start panicking, that's when it antagonises the animal," she said.
She said the offending dog had no history of attacks.
Its owner also had another dog of a different breed, which was not believed to be a threat.
She suggested dog walkers take an umbrella to shield them from a threatening dog's view should an incident occur.
[Hmm, although I suggest to people to carry items with them, I'm not so sure an umbrella will do much. I suggest a large hunting knife and always have your cell phone with you.]
(Manawatu Standard - Sept 21, 2011)
