Father faces court after his pitbull mauls son

Orlando Shepard and his son. Photo / Doug Sherring

The father of a boy seriously injured in a dog attack has been charged as a result of the incident.

Orlando Shepherd is due to appear in court next month. In the attack last month, his pitbull mastiff cross inflicted severe facial injuries on his 4-year-old son.

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Shepherd said he got the dog, named Musha, to protect his Housing New Zealand property in Otahuhu, South Auckland, from burglars. Four-year-old Shepherd Mea spent 10 days in intensive care at Middlemore Hospital after the incident.

Auckland Council confirmed this week that it had "thoroughly investigated" the case and said it had pressed charges against Shepherd. He is due to appear in the Manukau District Court on October 23 for a deputy registrar's list hearing.

Talking to the Herald on Sunday, Shepherd said he was devastated about the events but was grateful that his son was recovering.

"I'm happy that he's all right," he said, adding that his boy's scars were now healing.

Mea was not at kindergarten, but was recovering at his mother Katarina Kopa's house most of the time.

Shepherd now faces possible eviction for keeping a dog on the HNZ property without permission.

Shepherd said he was still waiting on details from HNZ, but was despondent at the thought of being evicted.

Within hours of the mauling, Housing Minister Nick Smith promised to investigate the attack.

This week a spokeswoman for Smith said: "Housing New Zealand will be following ... policy to identify its next steps with the tenant. However, it is appropriate to give the tenant time to focus on his son's recovery and as such, no decision on these next steps has been made at this time."

The dog attack sparked renewed debate about a ban on some dog breeds.

Shepherd said the incident had changed his own view on pitbull terriers which he believed should be banned. "I don't trust those dogs," he said.