Tauranga vet Liza Schneider mauled by rottweiler in 'unprovoked' dog attack

Tauranga Holistic vet and ARRC founding trustee Dr Liza Schneider is recovering from a dog attack outside the clinic. Photo / George Novak

A well-known Tauranga vet may not be able to operate again after a rottweiler mauled her in an "unprovoked and aggressive" attack.

Dr Liza Schneider, founder and co-owner of Tauranga Holistic Vets, is recovering from surgery while trying to help her traumatised team at the vet centre, who are still receiving counselling from the "frightening" attack.

On October 14, Schneider was at the practice's carpark when greeting a couple and their large rottweiler, which was scheduled to be neutered.

Schneider said the couple's child was holding the dog on a leash when the dog suddenly leapt up at her from two metres away, latching onto her right forearm.

Tauranga Holistic vet and ARRC founding trustee Dr Liza Schneider is recovering from a dog attack outside the clinic. Photo / George Novak

Schneider said she was fortunately wearing a puffer jacket and managed to raise her arm in time to prevent the dog attacking her throat and head.

"Somehow I managed to pull my arm away but I was left with a large gaping wound on the top of my arm which was spurting blood. When I came back into the clinic to have my wounds dressed, I soon realised my arm was fractured as well."

Vet staff treated Schneider initially before she was taken to Tauranga Hospital, where she was x-rayed, the wound was flushed out and intravenous antibiotics were administered.

Schneider said she was operated on the next day for three hours, which included the surgeon trying to repair torn muscles.

"My ulna fracture is screwed together with six screws and a plate and I'm no longer biodegradable," she said.

"I also have to wear a cast for six to 12 weeks depending on how I heal. Because this bone apparently doesn't always heal that well, there may still be some complications and potential further surgery.

"Thank goodness there is no sign of infection."

An x-ray taken at Tauranga Hospital of Dr Liza Schneider's fractured right forearm. Photo / Supplied

Schneider said the care she received from the hospital staff and her surgical team was "wonderful" and they were "incredibly caring and compassionate".

She said it was "still questionable" whether she would regain full mobility of her right thumb. If not, she may not operate on patients again.

"I've never had such an unprovoked and aggressive attack before and I have dealt with some pretty aggressive dogs in my 20-year career. "

Schneider, whose vet centre opened in 2003, said owning a dog was a "big responsibility", especially a large dog which can be powerful and display unexpected behaviours that can hurt people.

"As a responsible pet owner, it is really important to be mindful of that and have good control of your animals not just at a vet clinic but out in public, especially around kids."

She said she was so grateful it was not one of her team or a child who was attacked.

"This guy [the dog ] was at least 60 kilos and he could easily have done so much more damage.

"I'm so lucky that the dog didn't get to my neck or my head because if he did, I probably would not be here today."

Tauranga Holistic vet Dr Liza Schneider at Tauranga Hospital after being mauled by a dog. Photo / Supplied

Schneider said she still can't write and typing was a struggle but she could partially examine patients with help from a staff member and was trying to carry on working as best she can.

The holistic vets offer conventional medicines and surgery alongside complementary therapies such as acupuncture and homoeopathy.

"This is the very important aspect of what we do here. The practice is growing in leaps and bounds and we love to look after our community. We also run our charity ARRC and the busiest time of year for our wildlife rehabilitation is November," she said.

The AARC charity works alongside the Department of Conservation to care for all sorts of wildlife, mainly birds, including little blue penguins, but also weta, skinks and frogs.

Schneider said she had been working 12-hour days on three out of four weekends and had been on-call 24-7 to try to meet the growing demand.

"We were just hanging on by a thread before this and now we are totally screwed ... Our team can step up and help but not for long, and we don't want them to suffer burnout.

"We are so under pressure we can no longer take new patients," she said.

Schneider said she was buoyed by all the amazing messages of support and well wishes on Facebook including from many of clients.

Tauranga Holistic vet and ARRC founding trustee Dr Liza Schneider. Photo / NZME

Sue Mackey, co-owner and manager at Tauranga Holistic Vets, said the attack had taken a "huge emotional toll" on Schneider and the rest of the team, some of whom witnessed it.

"Unfortunately, we are not in a position to have Liza resting at home at the moment because of our workload and we're going into our busiest month."

Mackey said next month they expected to be inundated with 20 to 30 birds coming in a day needing their special care and attention.

"It has had a massive emotional impact on Liza and the whole team and we have had to organise a counsellor to come in and help our staff to work through the trauma.

"Liza is such an experienced and much-loved vet. If this can happen to her, that's just really frightening. We are still dealing with the shock of it all. "

Tauranga City Council's animal services team leader Brent Lincoln confirmed the council was investigating the matter and a rottweiler was being held in the Tauranga Pound.

Lincoln declined to comment further while enquiries were continuing.