Pitbulls ‘should be put down’ after women mauled in attack
A NEIGHBOUR watched in horror as a pitbull-type dog sank its teeth into a woman’s bottom ‘‘and tore the crap out of it’’.
The woman, 67, is believed to have been going to help another woman, 48, who was screaming out of her window that she was being attacked by one of two dogs at the property in Otaki Beach.
Neighbour Robert Duncan ran to help too. ‘‘I got about 10 feet from her house when two dogs raced past me out of her section and started on another woman.
‘‘One of the dogs got hold of the woman’s backside and tore the crap out of it.
‘‘You cannot do anything with them,’’ he said. ‘‘There is no way you can kick a pitbull out once it’s got its teeth stuck in.’’
The two women were taken to Palmerston North Hospital after the attacks, about 3.15pm on Wednesday. They were reported to be in stable conditions last night.
Kapiti Coast District Council community services group manager Tamsin Evans said the first victim suffered extensive bites to her arms and legs, and the second woman suffered a serious bite to her upper leg.
‘‘This was a very nasty attack that shocked animal control officers,’’ she said. ‘‘It must have been a terrifying ordeal for the women involved and has left them with serious wounds that will take time to heal.’’
Mr Duncan said the younger woman, who lived next door to the dogs’ owner, was an animal lover who had a dog called George, who was not present when the attack happened.
‘‘If he had been around it could have been different,’’ he said.
‘‘She is a dog lover, has a beautiful dog, takes it for walks. She did not deserve that.’’
He had been told that the two dogs escaped from their property by digging under a fence, before running next door and attacking the woman as she tried to shoo them away.
The older woman, who was passing the house in Moana St, tried to intervene but was attacked too.
‘‘It’s a bloody shame,’’ Mr Duncan said. ‘‘A senseless bloody waste. Those dogs should be bloody put down.’’
The dogs were seized at the scene, and council animal control officers are looking at prosecuting their owner.
Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the attack, or has any information.