Dog destroyed after toddler mauled

A rottweiler that mauled a three-year-old Westport girl yesterday has been destroyed.

The toddler is in a stable condition after surgery at Christchurch Hospital last night for facial injuries.

Westport police constable Sean Judd said the girl and her mother were visiting family friends and the toddler was playing with the dog when it bit her on the forehead.

Both the dog's owners and the little girl's family were devastated, Mr Judd said.

"Having just seen their child have injuries like that inflicted by a dog they were extremely distraught," he said.

Buller District Council communications officer Lisa Hankey said the dog's owners surrendered it to the council's animal control officers immediately.

It had since been euthanased.

Ms Hankey said the council had never received any complaints about the dog and it was not classed as menacing.

Since January 2004 four dogs in Buller have been destroyed for biting people.

- NZPA