Mother dives on girl attacked by dogs

The dogs, similiar to the pitbull pictured, are likely to be destroyed today. Photo / Paul Estcourt

A 5-year-old girl is in hospital with head and facial injuries after being attacked by two dogs yesterday afternoon.

Her mother was also bitten as she dived over her daughter's body to shield her from the mauling.

The girl is recovering in Waikato Hospital after 10 hours of extensive surgery last night.

The plastic surgeon who operated on her, Adam Greenbaum, said the girl's injuries were "potentially life threatening".

It is understood the girl and her mother were visiting a neighbour on Morrison Rd in Taneatua, a small settlement about 13km south of Whakatane in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Whakatane District Council spokesman Barney Dzowa said that about 1pm the neighbour let their female pitbull and male pitbull mastiff-cross out of their kennel in the backyard and they immediately set upon the child.

"I'm told that the pitbull went straight for the little girl and when the other dog saw he joined in."

As they bit and clawed at the child, her mother covered her with her own body before the owner stepped in and put the dogs back in their kennel.

The animals were last night in the council pound and were likely to be destroyed today.

The girl was taken to Whakatane Hospital by the neighbour, but was then transported by the Westpac Waikato Air Ambulance to Waikato Hospital's emergency department about 4pm.

She was accompanied by her mother.

The mother's injuries were not thought to be serious and she was treated in Whakatane.

An intensive care doctor and nurse from Waikato were also aboard the flight.

A helicopter spokesman said the child suffered "many facial lacerations", but was conscious while travelling.

"She was a very brave little girl," he said.

"She was only 5 years old so it was very distressing for everybody involved."

Police northern communications centre Inspector Lou Alofa said police attended the incident, but it was not known if the owner would be charged.

The dog attack was the second last week.

On Thursday, former All White Stu Jacobs was set upon after stepping in to stop a bull mastiff-cross mauling a man and his labrador at Rongotai College in Wellington where he was teaching more than 20 children - including his two young daughters - to play soccer.

The 43-year-old, who coaches provincial squad Team Wellington, suffered serious bites to an ankle, forearm and hand, and required 37 stitches.

The bull mastiff-cross has been put down and police are deciding whether to lay charges.

In April 2007, 56-year-old Virginia Ohlson died after being attacked by a pitbull and a staffordshire-cross.

The owner, Murupara man Shane Joseph Rurehe, Ms Ohlson's nephew, was sentenced to 18 months' jail after pleading guilty to two charges, laid under the Dog Control Act, of owning dogs that caused serious injury.