The photos capture the moment a protected kekeno, or baby New Zealand fur seal, was savaged as onlookers tried to scare the dog away.
It is understood the incident happened near Otakamiro Point, at Muriwai, where dogs are prohibited.
Retired landscape photographer Bin Bai and his wife Minghua Yu were at the west coast beach last Friday when Bai witnessed the attack, which lasted two to three minutes.
The latest death takes the number of reported dog attacks on seals to seven nationwide in the last month.
Bai, from Glenfield, was planning to take photos of the sunset when he spotted the female dog start the attack on the baby seal.
Bai has limited English but his son-in-law Jackie Zhou told the Herald on Sunday that the couple were on rocks and too far away to intervene, so yelled and screamed to others on the beach to help.
"My father-in-law decided to record this horrible moment and rushed to put on his longer lens," Zhou said. "They were totally shocked and felt really sorry for the baby seal.
"My mother-in-law has been tearful every time she has told this story to others. She has had trouble sleeping and is thinking about the seal all the time."
A woman and young girl walking along the beach heard Bin's screams and rushed to stop the dog but were too worried for their safety to intervene.
The attack continued with the dog shaking and biting the young seal and carrying it by the throat.
A man finally approached the dog and took the seal from its mouth.
Bin Bai and his wife rushed down to the beach and searched for the seal but it had been washed out to sea. Bai reported the incident to the Department of Conservation and the SPCA.
The Department of Conservation is trying to find the dog's owner and plans to prosecute.
DoC scientist and New Zealand fur seal specialist Laura Boren said seals were common on our beaches and shoreline at this time of year.
"They are newly weaned seal pups and juveniles aged 9 to 10 months and have left their mothers and come ashore as they strike out on their own," she said.
SPCA executive director Bob Kerridge said based on the photos, he believed the dog involved in the attack was a Staffordshire cross (aka PIT BULL).
He described the shocking incident as "very sad news".
"Dogs and wildlife do not mix and dog owners are responsible for keeping their dog under control at all times," he added.
Anyone charged under the Marine Mammals Act with harassing, disturbing, injuring or killing a seal faces a maximum penalty of two years' jail or a fine of up to $250,000.
A dog owner whose dog attacks a seal could also face prosecution.
Anyone with information about the incident, can contact DoC on 0800 DOCHOT (0800 362468) or the Herald on Sunday at news@heraldonsunday.co.nz.
(New Zealand Herald - Oct 5, 2014)
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