Family in shock after attack

Five-year-old fox terrier cross chihuahua, Poppy, was attacked by pit bull cross while at the Dog Agility Park on Dave Culham Drive.Photo / John Stone

A Whangarei woman is reluctant to return to Pohe Island's Dog Agility Park after her small dog was attacked by a pit bull cross.

Cara Kruger had visited the park on Dave Culham Drive nearly every day since it first opened, but Tuesday's attack on her 5-year-old fox terrier/chihuahua cross, Poppy, has put her off going back.

Of particular concern was that the pit bull was not muzzled when off the leash as it should be and then went on to attack another dog at the park.

Pohe Island dog exercise area where a little dog was attacked by two dogs.

Ms Kruger had taken her two dogs to the park on Tuesday about 6.20pm but had only let Poppy out to exercise as there were a number of German shepherds at the park. She had left her 6-month-old Neapolitan mastiff, Cuddles - who is larger than Poppy - in the car with her 11-year-old daughter as she was worried the dog would be targeted.

"We had been at the park maybe five minutes and I always walk Poppy to each end so she is familiar with the other dogs. We were walking back and we were about a third of the way from the gate and there was this German shepherd who was muzzled and it started pushing Poppy into the ground. Poppy started squealing and the pig dog attacked her and all the other dogs started chasing it," she said.

Ms Kruger said she was panicked and could see her daughter in the car crying. She said the owners of the German shepherds managed to control their dogs, however the pit bull cross would not listen to its owner.

Ms Kruger said Poppy was in the mouth of the pit bull cross - which was shaking her - for about 30 seconds before it dropped her.

"The owner was yelling drop, drop. But it wasn't listening. I knew not to put my hand down there so I was relying on the owners of the other dogs to control their dogs. I was in shock, I just wanted to leave because I was so angry with the owner so I scooped Poppy up and went back to the car. My daughter was in the fetal position crying," she said.

Environmental Northland manager Keith Thompson said owners needed to ensure their dogs were under control at all times. He said there was no specific list of rules for the dog park.

"We can say don't let dogs go in if they're not socialised or don't let your dogs fight but it's all common sense. We can write as many policies as we want but unfortunately there are people who deliberately, or can't be bothered socialising their dogs - they should be socialised from day one," he said.

Mr Thompson said under the Whangarei District Council's Dog Management Policy pit bull dogs or dogs belonging wholly or predominantly to the breed were required to be muzzled in public places.

He said they were now trying to track down the owners of the pit bull cross and were asking anyone who was at the park around the same time to come forward with information.

Ms Kruger said Poppy was not seriously injured but was left shaken. She said the owner of the pit bull cross approached Ms Kruger while she was in the car to apologise.

"She told me it was because my dog was squealing like a pig and her dog was a pig dog. She then told me the dog was chained all day."

But Ms Kruger said as she was leaving she saw the same dog attacking another small dog at the park.

"I've been there every other day since it opened and nothing like this has ever happened. I'd say it's not safe for kids because you never know how dogs are going to react," she said.