Phillip McLean required three surgeries, including skin grafts, while recovering from the attack Caralyn Patricia Pene's dog carried out.
She pleaded guilty in the Palmerston North District Court on Friday to owning a dog which caused serious injury, failing to muzzle a menacing dog, and failing to register the dog.
According to the summary of facts, the dog, Bear, had not been registered since the 2014/15 year, and was last registered in Hastings.
Bear had previously been classified as menacing in June 2015, so he was supposed to be wearing a muzzle any time he was out in public.
On January 13, McLean was visiting his daughter-in-law on Terrace St, Palmerston North - the same street Pene and Bear lived on.
He left his dog in the car, and Bear started jumping at the car when he noticed the dog.
Pene attempted to put a lead on Bear, while McLean went out to the car to check what was going on.
While he was looking in the car, Bear broke free from Pene, ran at him and latched onto his left thigh.
Bear let go at one stage, but latched back on, this time grabbing McLean's left calf and dragging him to the ground.
Various people tried to get the dog off, and he only let go when someone put a finger up his backside.
McLean suffered wounds to his thigh, calf and a finger, while Bear was confiscated and destroyed by the Palmerston North City Council.
Defence lawyer Daniel Flinn said Pene wanted the matter referred to restorative justice, as she wanted to apologise to the victim in person. (Basically the defense attorney wants her criminal record destroyed after her probation period so no one will ever know that she owned a dog that tried to kill someone).
Judge Gregory Ross convicted Pene and remanded her on bail until July for sentencing.
She faces a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment or a $20,000 fine for the attack charge.
(Stuff.co.nz - June 23, 2016)
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