A Tauranga man whose American pitbull terrier mastiff-cross attacked a male relative has been fined $500.
Thomas Tareha Taite, 47, pleaded guilty to a charge of being the owner of a dog which attacked a person and caused serious injury, when he appeared in the Tauranga District Court yesterday.
The charge related to an attack on a 64-year-old man visiting Taite's Kairua Rd property unexpectedly on March 30.
While Taite was inside getting food for the family pet, named Wolf, the dog latched on to the victim's left leg, causing deep bite marks, then bit the man's right leg, causing 30mm puncture wounds.
The victim drove to Tauranga Hospital for treatment.