Dog attack shatters woman's stroll

A stroll in the park turned into a nightmare for a North Canterbury woman when her "toy dog" was attacked and killed by a bull terrier-cross that turned on her when she tried to intervene.

The woman received bites on the hands and required medical attention.

The attack was on Sunday – the day after a 56-year-old Bay of Plenty woman was mauled to death by a pitbull and a staffordshire terrier in Murupara.

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The North Canterbury woman, who declined to be named, was walking her bichon frise in Rutherford Reserve, Culverden, on Sunday afternoon when confronted by a larger dog, not on a leash, with its owner some distance off.

The larger dog attacked the smaller one and the woman was bitten attempting to come to her pet's rescue, Hurunui District Council dog control officer Alan Dean said.

The bull terrier cross was put down by its owner and the dead dog sighted by the police, he said.

Hurunui District Council environmental manager Andrew Feierabend said the owner of the bull terrier had offered to pay veterinary fees and medical expenses to the injured woman. MORE>>

That's what you get with dogs that aren't socialised. Now that Bull Terriers are labelled, who wants to approach one! It's sad...