Fatal dog mauling stuns locals
Residents of an isolated Far North town have reacted with shock and disbelief to the fatal mauling of “a good old fella” who loved his dogs.
The man was 69-year-old Neville Thomson, 1 News reported, and his son Te Ahu Thomson claimed a friend had been staying with him, who had about 19 dogs, some of which were aggressive. Te Ahu said he wanted people to know his father wasn’t attacked by his own dogs.
Paramedics and firefighters responded to an alarm raised just before 2pm on Thursday on Puketawa Rd in Panguru, North Hokianga. But with aggressive dogs still on the loose, they were unable to tend the man until police, armed for protection, had made the property safe.
Thomson died at the scene. Officers shot one adult dog but three escaped. Last night two had been found and put down, while a third injured dog was still on the loose.
The Far North District Council confirmed about 25 dogs had been found at the property, including several puppies. There were no active dog registrations recorded.
Locals said Thomson kept mostly to himself but was well regarded and made regular trips into town for supplies. He had called into Panguru a day before for milk and bread with two dogs in the front of his truck.
One resident, who did not want to be named, said the man locals knew as Nev was “a lovely guy who was friendly to everyone”. While his dogs looked “scary as” she had never known them to be aggressive.
“There’s really nothing bad to say about Nev, he’s a cool old guy. The one thing he loved was his dogs.”
He had been down country recently to see his grandchildren and his ailing father, who had died, while a friend, who also had dogs, had been looking after his house.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Dalzell said a post-mortem examination would be carried out today.