Devonport locals warned after stray dog bites three people

File photo / NZ Herald

Devonport locals are being warned to be wary of a stray dog that bit three people, including a child, in the Auckland suburb yesterday.

The pitbull-cross latched onto the sleeve of a man yesterday morning as he left the toilets in Bayswater Park.

The man was already recovering from a dislocated shoulder, and as he yanked his arm away from the dog he re-dislocated it. He yelled at the dog and it ran away.

About an hour later as another man exited the toilets, the dog bit him on the foot, police said.

Fortunately the man was wearing steel-capped boots and was uninjured.

Not long afterwards, an 8-year-old boy who was playing tag with this friends was bitten on the calf.

He was treated at the scene by ambulance staff for puncture wounds and was then taken to the doctor by his family to get a tetanus shot.

Police and Auckland Council Animal Control officers attempted to catch the dog, but it ran into a large cemetery area surrounded by mangroves. Despite searching for most of yesterday and again this morning, the dog has not been found.

Enquiries with several owners of dogs in that area that fit the description have ruled out their animals.

Police and Animal Control believe the dog has been abandoned in the area. All three attacks happened in the toilet area of Bayswater Park, next to the children's playground.

Anyone who sees a dog fitting the below description in the Bayswater Park/Devonport areas is advised to stay away from it, and to contact Animal Control at Auckland Council on 09 301 01 01, or call Police.

The dog is described as the following;

-Young pitbull cross, around 2 to 3-years-old.

-Tan-coloured with a cream chest, tan and cream markings on the head.