NEW ZEALAND -- A 71-year-old Motueka man who was attacked by his neighbour's dog when he was collecting his newspaper is still in hospital a week after the attack.
The man, who had deep bites to his ankle and elbow and puncture wounds on his hands and arms, was described as being in a comfortable condition in Nelson Hospital yesterday.
The man's family do not wish to say anything about his recovery or the attack.
Jade Brown, 18, was walking past the Bennett St driveway where the attack happened on her way to a netball game last Wednesday evening. She beat the dog off with a stick and then chained him to a fence.
"We're definitely praising her for her actions. It was pretty gutsy and she just went in and did what needed to be done to save the guy with no thought for her own safety," said Constable Donna Bower, of Motueka.
The two-year-old Great Dane - Rhodesian Ridgeback cross broke free from his chain and leapt a fence to attack the man in his driveway.
John Bergman, the animal control officer who destroyed the dog last Wednesday night following the attack, said the neighbours on both sides of the driveway had dogs that would bark at each other whenever someone was in the driveway between them and that it had become a "game" for the dogs.
He has left notes for both neighbours to contact him.
He said he would be telling them that the dogs rushing the fences to bark at each other would be considered a nuisance and that they should try to prevent the animals doing that, perhaps by tying them up on opposite sides of the properties.
Tasman District Council regulatory manager Adrian Humphries said the dog was registered and microchipped and had no previous history of problems.
The council is still investigating whether to prosecute the owner.
(Stuff.co.nz - Nov 22, 2012)
