Tuesday, October 13, 2015

New Zealand: Owners charged after dog attacks in Hawke's Bay

NEW ZEALAND -- Three dog owners are being prosecuted after attacks in Hawke's Bay left two women requiring hospital treatment.

The three owners will each face two charges under the Dog Control Act following the October 3 attacks at the seaside settlement of Whirinaki, north of Napier.

One of the victims, a woman in her 60s, suffered a significant bite injury to her arm and was admitted to Hawke's Bay Hospital before being transferred to Hutt Valley Hospital for specialist care.

About 45 minutes before the woman was attacked there was another attack by three dogs on a woman who had been running on the beach at Whirinaki.

The woman, who is in her 30s, was pulled to the ground and received multiple puncture wounds and lacerations to her upper arm, her armpit and buttocks.


She was also admitted to Hawke's Bay hospital for treatment.

Hastings District Council, which is responsible for dog control in the Whirinaki area, said the charges related to the dogs "causing serious injury" to the two victims.

Two of the dogs allegedly involved in the attack, a male bull terrier cross and a male Neapolitan mastiff cross, were relinquished by their owners and destroyed last week.

The third dog, a male Rhodesian ridgeback cross, is being held in the Hastings District Council's pound pending the outcome of the council's prosecution.

The council said all three dogs came from the same address, where one lived and the other two were visiting.

A court date for the owners has yet to be set.

(Stuff.co.nz - October 13 2015)

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