Woman badly bitten in dog attack

Hsiu-Ting Chen and daughter Rebecca Ma, who says she's never seen her mother cry before. Photo / Richard Robinson

Shocked family want animal to be removed from residential area.

A woman out for her morning walk was left with deep bites on her forearm and thighs after being rushed by a dog which dragged her to the ground.

Her family are now calling for the animal to be removed from the residential area, which is close to several schools.

Hsiu-Ting Chen was walking around Mt St John Domain in Epsom and was passing through the grounds of the Theosophical Society in Warborough Ave around 10am on Sunday when the dog attacked.

Her daughter Rebecca Ma, 23, said the dog rushed her mother from behind and bit her forearm, staying clamped on as she fell to the ground. It then bit her thigh before its owner controlled it.

Mrs Chen does not speak English fluently, and had taken to walking through the unfenced grounds every day after seeing cyclists and joggers use the route.

"It wasn't that my mum went too close to a dangerous dog. The dog actually ran to her," Ms Ma said. "I've never seen my mum cry before, she is a very, very strong and tough woman."

After the attack the dog's owner helped Mrs Chen into the society's lodge to wash the bite wound, before driving her the short distance home. She was then taken to hospital to have her wounds treated.

Ms Ma said an animal control officer attended and determined the huntaway cross border collie lived part-time at the property, and also at a farm outside of Auckland.

She has asked for the dog to be removed from the property, but does not want to see it put down.

"I asked, what if it attacked an 8-year-old girl? Is that what we want."

Graham Bodman, manager licensing and compliance services for Auckland Council, said the dog was at present in an animal shelter.

"We're in the process of investigating the incident now."

ACC claim statistics show there were 12,157 dog-related injuries last year, at a cost of $2,621,923.