Woman stood her ground when dogs attacked poodle

A woman was injured when she picked up an elderly poodle while it was being savaged to death by two pig dogs in North Canterbury.

The woman’s clear heroism was described in the Christchurch District Court when the owner of the dogs pleaded guilty to two charges before Judge David Saunders.

Max, a 15-year-old poodle, died while being rushed to a vet after the Leithfield attack on October 24.

The two pig dogs have now been destroyed.

They were owned by Erin Kate Graham, who admitted charges.

The Hurunui District Council said she had been spoken to in May and June last year about not having her dogs under control.

Counsel for the council, Shaun Brookes, said the dogs involved were a labrador greyhound-mastiff cross named Captain, who was unregistered, a labrador greyhound-boxer cross n am edKahu, and a greyhound cross named Ness. ll are pighunting dogs.

Graham let four dogs out of their dog box about 7.45am and went inside the house to attend to her infant daughter.

There was no fencing on the property and the dogs went out on to Terrace Rd, while not under any control.

Three of the dogs went up to a woman who was walking a friend’s poodle, Max, who was on a lead. Max’s owner was overseas at the time.

They surrounded the woman and Captain and Kahu attacked the poodle, biting him and pulling him between them.

The woman lifted Max from the ground and Captain and Kahu jumped on her, causing minor injuries before members of the public – including Graham – arrived to help her and Max.

Max received multiple serious wounds, including a large tear to the left abdomen, bites and tears to the lumbar muscles, bites and a skin tear to the throat, and chest trauma.

The woman received scratches to her hands, and abrasion on her buttocks, and a strained neck.

Judge Saunders remanded Graham for sentencing on September 21.

He said her contribution towards reparations for the damage caused would be taken into account in her sentence.