Dog puts teeth into lifeguard

A teenage off-duty lifeguard needed hospital treatment after being bitten on the face while trying to catch a golden retriever running amok on a Wellington beach.
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The 17-year-old lifeguard, with council dog control officers, rushed to steer the dog from danger.

"It was actually getting in the way of the boats," Sam said.

Racing was delayed while efforts were made to lure the dog from the foreshore. Hell, where was the dog owner??

The race to catch the dog ended when Sam chased it into dunes. "I grabbed it, and it turned its head and bit me in the face." To stop the mauling Sam jammed his hand in the dog's mouth.

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In the confusion following the biting incident, the dog's owner ran on to the beach, grabbed the dog and drove off. Witnesses took note of his licence plate. Jesus! did they think they were going to get away with THAT! I mean, dog control + life guard + loads of on-lookers? Some people don't deserve to keep their brains (well, obviously some else thought of that first!)

Wellington City Council's animal control manager Sam Lawrence said the car owner had been found and the dog seized pending an investigation into the incident. And a hefty bill!

Meanwhile Sam, whose family has a border collie, does not think the dog should be destroyed "unless it has attacked someone else". Looks like the dog was trying to protect his territory, and got all nerved up by the chase. Perhaps the dog thought it was all a big joke, until the end.

However, I wonder what Sam would have said if it was another type of breed. Cute dogs always get the good cuts!

He is relieved his injuries will not keep him from his summer job as a lifeguard at Lyall Bay. Hey, my old stomping ground!