Otaki attack pitbulls likely to be destroyed

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Dogs on death row

3News NZ

The dogs are now in the pound at Kapiti Coast District Council (Photo: Emma Jolliff/3 News)

The dogs are now in the pound at Kapiti Coast District Council (Photo: Emma Jolliff/3 News)

By Emma Jolliff

Two pitbull crosses that savagely attacked two Otaki women on Wednesday may be destroyed.

The two women, aged 67 and 48, were hospitalised and have since required surgery, including skin grafts.

The alleged owners failed to show up to a meeting with Kapiti Coast District Council on Friday. It is understood they are dog owners who are already known to council.

A neighbour told 3 News the first victim, the 48-year-old woman, was sitting in the sun outside her property when three dogs from the neighbouring flat at the back of the property managed to get under the fence and came towards her. When she tried to shoo them back, one of the dogs attacked.

She ran inside to escape the dogs, but one held onto her and continued attacking her in the house. The two other dogs reportedly jumped at the window, scratching the walls, also trying to get into the house.

On Thursday, blood could be seen on the walls, on the ground and on the carpet inside the house.

Neighbour Robert Duncan ran to the victim’s house when he heard screaming. When he walked up the driveway, the dogs ran past him onto the street, where one attacked a 67-year-old woman who was also coming to the aid of the victim after she heard screaming.

Mr Duncan said the dog would not let go, despite attempts by others to hit it, at which point he called the police. He said the dog did not release its jaws until someone tried to drive over it.

The dogs are now in the pound at Kapiti Coast District Council. Mr Duncan said he would “shoot the owners and the dogs”.

The council describes the attack as “horrendous” and say even its experienced dog controllers were shaken by the attack.

The SPCA told 3 News it pleaded with the Government more than 20 years ago not to allow pitbulls to be imported into the country. The Auckland SPCA won’t re-house pitbulls, saying it won’t give anyone a dog that has known potential to attack. It says pitbulls are one of four breeds designated as dangerous under the Dog Control Act.

The Kapiti Coast District Council will seek a prosecution under Section 58 of the Dog Control Act – a charge that potentially carries a three-year jail term.

The council will tomorrow seek the owner’s permission to destroy the dogs. If the owners refuse, the council will seek to have the dogs destroyed via the courts.

3 News

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Comments

2/12/2012 8:34:03 p.m.

alison wrote:

Seeing as how the govt will stand by and do nothing why cannot the Kapiti council and indeed other councils make their own yearly checks with the dog registration whereby a small fee is paid to the spca to do a socialisation test on each dog. Surely this will pick up dogs with attitude before they attack? and owners with bad attitude too?

2/12/2012 6:52:40 p.m.

pete wrote:

Bad enough that the dogs attacked anyone,put them down,what are you waiting for ? an attack on a young child,that would have fatal results.

2/12/2012 6:27:37 p.m.

Ginny Taft wrote:

The SPCA frequently re-homes pit bulls but does not disclose the breed, especially in cases where the dog does not look overly pit bullish even when they know the parentage. Instead they call the dog a cross, with the cross being pit bull. People are taking dogs home, unaware of the care needed around these dogs. They are extremely loyal and do not understand the concept of 'play fighting' which is where most children come to harm around pit bulls. When children are playing dogs should not be left unsupervised and especially not when the play is rough or likely to result in children squealing. I personally have homed over 30 pit bulls through PAWS Rescue & Rehab, but each person knows what breed they are getting, they are told how to manage the breed and the special care areas, and each person knows that I am always available should they need assistance. The fact that we have people in our society who are willingly in-breeding pit bulls caused by politicians knee jerk reaction to ban the breed and which causes genetic changes and increases base instincts, we also have people raising them in abusive environments and completely unaware of how to interact with pit bulls. None of this means that every Pit Bulls is dangerous. Pit Bulls do not have lock jaw as proven through science. However they are stubborn, have a high prey drive and will 'pack' and defend the pack should any member be under threat. The fact that the media only seems to highlight the 'pit bull' attacks is most of the reason this breed has been stigmatised and are now classified as a dangerous breed. The most dangerous breeds are in actual fact small dogs and German shepherds, which is why the police use them. I think the media needs to take responsibility for its part in the whole sale slaughter of pit bulls. Since the new laws banning the breed, once a Pit Bull enters the pound it is not allowed to be re-homed but instead put to death. Don't blame the breed, blame the owners.

2/12/2012 6:23:37 p.m.

Gdog wrote:

Pitbull "crosses"" not Pitbulls!!!! Different all together, stop blaming a breed, all dogs have the potential to attack!!! Please place more blame on the owners!!!

2/12/2012 6:12:45 p.m.

Ryan wrote:

"it won’t give anyone a dog that has known potential to attack" - every animal has a potential to attack.

2/12/2012 6:10:22 p.m.

sam wrote:

yea i agree! simply why does anyone need such a dangerous unpredictable dog? i have observed a certain demographic tend to own these animals....

2/12/2012 5:53:06 p.m.

sam wrote:

i really admire how brave the people whom tried to save this woman from being attacked... if the two other dogs had caught her, the outcome cud have been worse....i support the spca position on the pitbull breed and hope the owner is made fully accountable for not managing the dogs responcibly....i have observed a trend, a particular demographic tend to have these dogs...

2/12/2012 5:01:05 p.m.

kiwiwolf wrote:

Pit bull's were banned in UK due to their unpredictable temperament, the sooner they are banned in NZ the better. How many more people have to suffer before the government takes action.

2/12/2012 4:32:44 p.m.

Calvin wrote:

You can destroy a many dogs as you want but untill the real cause is addressed there will aways be a problem, it is the owner that should be facing the punishment, we need massive fines and long jail time for the owners, not just a few hundred dollars and no owning dogs for a few months. if the punishment was tens or hundreds of thousands and years behind bars then these so called "dangerous dogs would magically dissapear

2/12/2012 2:17:01 p.m.

Erm... wrote:

The dogs need to be destroyed, and the owners charged with attempted murder. But doubtless the recidivist scumbags will be slapped with a wet bus ticket and be dog owners again within weeks.