Man calls for dog to be put down after attack at Northland resort Kai Iwi Lakes

Paul Speedy was attacked by a dog and bitten three times before he could escape at Kai Iwi Lakes, above, recently.

A man attacked by a dog at a Northland holiday resort is calling for the animal to be put down as he fears it could kill a child.

But the woman in charge of the dog at the time said the man had ignored instructions and entered a private area which had a sign warning of a dog.

The Ridgeback-cross dog was chained up at the Kai Iwi Lakes Resort but ran at Paul Speedy from beneath a caravan and bit him on the right thigh and then twice more on the back of his knees, leaving deep wounds that needed stitches.

"It happened so fast that I jumped and lifted my right leg and as I did that it lunged forward and bit me again behind my left knee. I then went to run off. As I did, it bit me a third time behind my right knee. This all happened in a matter of split seconds," Speedy said.

The 30-year-old physical education, geography and social studies teacher was able to get away from the attacking dog and make it back to the van where his friends at a stag party were waiting.

Paul Speedy was bitten three times before he could escape an attacking dog. Photo / Supplied

The owner of the resort, Julie Field, who was also in charge of the dog, arrived with her partner and took the injured teacher to the Dargaville Hospital, where five stitches were needed in the wound on his right leg.

"This could have been a different story and outcome if this had been a little kid. They would have been absolutely mauled. I'm just afraid for children who might come here," Speedy said.

"I want this dog put down ... I hate to think what might happen to someone else in this situation."

Speedy, who had spent some of his childhood growing up in Dargaville and Whangārei, said he had organised a stag party for a good mate, also formerly of Dargaville, and thought returning north was a great venue for a weekend away ahead of the wedding this month.

Due to the dog bites, Speedy took four days off work at his doctor's recommendation to let the wounds heal. He had written a report to Armourguard, which dealt with dog incidents in Kaipara and Whangārei District Council areas, calling for the dog to be put down.

Julie Field, of Kai Iwi Lodge, confirmed in a written response there had been an unfortunate incident at her guest accommodation, where a visiting Ridgeback-cross dog bit and injured a guest on the thigh and backside.

Field said Speedy had decided to ignore instructions to meet at the main house and had entered a private area of the property which was clearly sign-posted "Beware of dog".

Speedy said he had followed instructions but Field had not been at the property when he had arrived and a person had directed him towards the caravan.

Field said the dog was tied up and secured within the private area of the property at the time of the incident.

"Following the incident we promptly took the injured man to Dargaville Hospital where he was discharged a short time thereafter and he immediately returned to the stag party.

"We subsequently took the dog to Whangārei pound of our own volition, only to be told by the council that the dog could return to our property to the safety of our secure private residential area. The council inspected the property and the secure area," Field said.

She said the business had been subjected to a persistent hate campaign in the form of extreme aggressive behaviour and defamatory social media posts from those involved in the stag party.

"We find ourselves now having to take legal advice in respect of this hate campaign and behaviour."

Kaipara District Council spokesman Ben Hope confirmed the dog owner did take the dog to the Whangārei pound, for surrender after it had bitten someone.

He said under section 71 and 72 of the Dog Control Act, once the required fines and or fees, information and paperwork was submitted the owner was entitled to take the dog back to their property, knowing an inspection and investigation would soon follow.

The woman paid a fine. Hope said an investigation by Armourguard had taken place but the results were not yet known.

"Once they are available the council will undertake action to ensure the orders are enforced," Hope said.