I lose dog, you'll lose life - alleged threat

A brutal dog attack has left a Hamilton couple $2000 poorer and fearing retribution.

A Hamilton family is facing nearly $2000 in vet bills after their dog Chippie was mauled by a pitbull this week.

And they say they were warned by a man who called the pitbull off that if he lost the dog, "you'll lose your life".

Jeanette and Andy - who did not want their surname used for fear of retribution - were walking with their daughter Sarah, 9, along Nawton's Dominion Rd on Tuesday when the attack happened.

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Jeanette said the "nightmare" attack lasted about five minutes, while another man watched.

"I was screaming and yelling at this man to pull his dog back and he just stood there for ages. He eventually took the dog back to his letterbox and released it."

Jeanette said the man threatened her husband, saying, "If I lose my dog, you'll lose your life".

Are these the dog laws that we created?!?

By the way, I seem to want to think that this dog is needed to 'supervise' his house for unlawful doings... just a hunch.

Andy, whose arm was bitten in the attack, reported the man's threat to police.

Hamilton City Council dog control officer Peter Crocker said the pitbull had not yet been captured, and the man had said the dog was a stray. MORE>>

This is surely not the best way of handling a situation, and I understand that these dog owners want their money back and their pride. So what do we do? We get the bastard, as a community.

But, of course, this will not solve the Big Problem.... and you know what that is!