Anastasia Alekshahina and her children were on the beach in Houhora when the attack happened.
Anastasia Alekshahina and her children were on the beach in Houhora when the attack happened.
The Far North District Council is investigating a dog attack at Houhora Beach that left two dogs injured and a family shaken.
FNDC said an investigation was underway after animal Management officers were alerted of the incident by the injured dogs’ owner Anastasia Alekshahina.
A quiet afternoon at thebeach turned into a scene the family will soon not forget, she told the Northland Age.
One moment she was nursing her baby in the shade, while her older child played in the shallows nearby. The next, two dogs were charging down from the carpark and within seconds the family’s two dogs were being grabbed and shaken as Alekshahina tried to pull the attacking dog off with a stick.
“It wouldn’t let go. It was trying to rip my dog apart. My children were crying. I was screaming. It was honestly one of the most frightening experiences I’ve had as a parent.”
She said days after the incident her child is still having flashbacks and hasn’t been sleeping properly.
The incident happened on the beach in Houhora and left them distressed and her dogs injured.
“Two dogs suddenly appeared from the parking area above and ran down toward the water in the direction of my child. My dogs reacted instinctively and moved toward my child as the two dogs approached. Within seconds, the situation escalated and the two dogs began attacking my dogs.”
The spot where a Far north family and their dogs were attacked by a group of dogs.
In a very intense and frightening scene, one of the dogs was particularly aggressive and tried to grab and shake her collie, she said.
One of her dogs is now limping and the other has an open tear near the neck. She believes their thick fur saved them from more severe injuries.
“The owners arrived shortly after but appeared to have difficulty controlling them. Once they managed to pull the dogs away, they left the area without providing any details.”
The incident left her uneasy about going to the beach and being in public spaces.
“In the immediate aftermath, I was shaking. My children were crying and extremely frightened. It was a very distressing situation. Since then, there is definitely anxiety about returning to that beach or similar public spaces. As a parent, you expect beaches and parks to feel safe. When that sense of safety is shaken, it stays with you.”
“There seems to be growing concern in the community about uncontrolled dogs, particularly in family-heavy areas. Whether this reflects an increase in incidents or enforcement challenges, it suggests the issue deserves attention.”
The family's collie was left with injuries near the neck, while the other was left limping following the attack.
A resident who was about 600m up from the beach said she heard the attack and felt scared for the person involved.
“It could be heard up the beach. Dogs growling and attacking and the attacked dogs yelping and screaming. In the end, I had to block my ears. It was so horrific to listen to.”
She said they waited a few hours before bringing their dogs back to the car.
“No one should have dogs with that potential of anger in secluded public places.”
The attack reignited community concern about uncontrolled and dangerous animals in public, in the Far North.
Far North resident Fiona Mackenzie said she chose to stay indoors as a result of roaming and dangerous dogs.
“We no longer take our dog down to the beach at Houhora or the end of Waterfront Rd. There are uncontrolled dangerous dogs everywhere … the dog problem up here is out of control.”
She said she was attacked on a public reserve in Houhora, several years ago, and “it was terrifying”.
Michelle Shepherd said because of the high number of stray dogs, she doesn’t take her large dogs out in public.
“We have experienced dog fights first-hand, and it is horrific, especially if you have your children around.”
