Toddler, women seriously injured in dog attacks

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A 19-month-old girl is being treated for deep injuries to her face caused by a dog, in the second similar attack in two days.

Today's incident occurred in Tapawera, near Nelson, where the girl is believed to have been bitten by a family pet.

She was accompanied by her mother on the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter at 3.15pm on the flight to Nelson Hospital for treatment.

Her facial injuries were "very deep'' but were not life threatening, said pilot Tim Douglas-Clifford.

"She was bandaged up. She was in shock and she was obviously stressed,'' he said.

It was not clear what breed of dog attacked her.

Two women who suffered serious wounds in a mauling by two dogs in an Otaki Beach driveway yesterday remain in a stable condition in Palmerston North Hospital.

A 48-year-old neighbour of the dogs' owner was bitten on her arms, legs and neck in the attack, and a 67-year-old woman who was walking past and came to the woman's aid was also bitten.

The passerby suffered a "significant tear'' to the back of her thigh, said a Kapiti District Council spokeswoman. The dogs were seized and the council's animal control officers were considering prosecuting the dogs' owner.

"This was a very nasty attack that shocked experienced animal control officers,'' said council community services group manager Tamsin Evans.

"It must have been a terrifying ordeal for the women involved and has left them with serious wounds that will take time to heal.''