Woman seriously hurt in dog attack

A "cowardly" man left a woman bleeding from serious arm injuries after his dog attacked her in Kaiapoi near Christchurch this morning.

The attacked woman's mother was also injured when she came to her screaming daughter's aid.

Kaiapoi Sergeant Colin Stewart says he is seeking the man walking the dog, who left before police arrived.

"This woman has numerous bites. She has large open lacerations.

"The owner has left her. He hadn't assisted her at all.

"It's extremely cowardly and irresponsible."

The mauling happened at about 10:40am when the large black dog, thought to be a rottweiler, attacked a dog in the back of a car outside the woman's mother's property.

It then turned on the woman, who is in her twenties, as she was getting out of the car.

Her mother was then injured trying to separate the two dogs when she heard screams and came to the aid of her daughter.

Mr Stewart says the daughter suffered severe lacerations trying to defend herself.

She has been taken to Christchurch Hospital for treatment and her mother has gone to a GP, he says.

He wants to find the dog that carried out the attacks before it hurts anyone else.

"I'm just interested in making sure this doesn't happen again."

Residents who know anything about the man who was walking his dog can contact Mr Stewart on 03 327 9865. He is aged about 40.