Pitbull mauls woman during domestic row

A teenager was left with deep facial wounds after a pitbull terrier mauled her during a domestic row in her South Auckland home yesterday.

Two men who rushed to the 18-year-old's rescue were also bitten while prising the jaws of the unregistered male rednose pitbull off her face.

Police found an 11-month-old baby unhurt in a bed in the room where the attack took place, about 11.40am.

They thought the victim was the baby's mother, but a boy who was the only person home at the Manurewa East address last night denied this.

Sergeant Rachel Whear said a female cousin of the victim who jointly owned the dog helped the men pull it off her, but only after a terrifying 45-second struggle in which they plunged their hands into its mouth to force open the powerful jaws.

The dog was locked in a Manukau City Council pound, awaiting a decision on its fate, as Middlemore Hospital surgeons worked successfully to save the teenager's ear.

Although there were initial fears for her life, she was described as being in a satisfactory condition after a marathon operation.

Ms Whear said the woman was already under attack in a domestic dispute with her partner at the house in Senator Drive when the dog joined the fracas.

Relatives went into the couple's bedroom to protect her, but the dog followed. "Instead of going for the attacker, it went for the victim."

The police were trying to find the female cousin's partner, as menacing animals cannot be destroyed without their owner's consent or a successful prosecution, although the Manukau council has given itself the right to seize all unregistered dogs.

Ms Whear said house occupants tried to persuade police, in an unsuccessful bid to prevent its seizure, that the dog was a labrador-pitbull cross, "but we took one look and said no way, it's a pure breed rednose pitbull, the worst fighting breed".

The animal was said to have attacked cats and other dogs.

Manukau City environmental health and compliance manager Kevin Jackson said his council classified pitbulls as a menacing breed and required them to be muzzled in public places. They must also be neutered or spayed.

His staff responded to 128 alleged dog attacks on people in the six months to December.

Middlemore Hospital surgeons have had considerable experience repairing wounds from dog attacks.