Wanting to remain anonymous for now, he said the family thought it was touch and go in hospital on Monday night.
“There seemed to be a problem stopping the bleeding but now she is doing well, talking and recovering at home.”
There was a bit of confusion after the attack as his mother was by herself when it happened, he said.
“We now know she was not trying to pat the two dogs on the property,” he said.
“Mum was in shock and didn’t realise the extent of her injuries at the time. She had been celebrating the birth of a great-grandson at a family home when she decided to go to the dairy.
“As she was leaving she dropped her purse, bent down to pick it up and the dog attacked her.
“It jumped up and latched on to her face — ripping from the bridge of the nose down.”
Another dog, a rottweiler, probably saved his mother from more serious injuries by attacking the dog that mauled her, he said.
The dog that attacked her has since been put down.
“My brother was there when she came back in covered in blood after the attack. He was horrified at her injuries,” he said.
“It is so sad our beautiful mum has had to go through this but she will get ongoing treatment and reconstruction surgery in Hamilton later.
“We are just so grateful to have her home and recovering.”
It had been hard for everyone involved, including the owner of the dog that had been put down, he said.
He hoped it would not cause a rift in the family.
The woman’s daughter said the attack was totally unexpected as the dogs had never been a problem before.
They had not shown any aggression and no one felt threatened by them.
(Gisborne Herald - June 07, 2013)
Earlier:
