Distressed dog bites man in face

July 2-- A distressed pitbull terrier bit an off-duty ambulance officer in the face after he stopped to assist at a road accident last night. MORE>>

July 3-- victim doesn't blame the dog-- Ambulance officer Justin Lowcay feared he had lost his eye after he was bitten by a pitbull as he went to assist at a car crash. (... the inside bits of the story)

"But I'm not angry at the dog. It could have been worse. It could have been my throat," he said.

Sergeant Shane Hurliman said the dog would be returned to its 55-year-old owner, who was uninjured in the crash.

Dog control officers had done a very good job in rapidly getting the growling animal under control at the scene.

The investigation was still under way but it was possible the dog had caused the crash in the first place by moving around in the car, Mr Hurliman said. It was also possible alcohol was a factor in the crash.

New Plymouth District Council enforcement manager Lloyd Crow said the dog, which was licking people's hands and wagging its tail yesterday, showed no sign of the aggression it showed after the crash. "It's a different dog today than it was yesterday."

He expected it would be returned to its owner but the council was having trouble in tracking him down.

Probably the owner thinks that he'll or she'll get fined !! or worst that the dog would be destroyed. That's how the dog laws operate in this country..fear of getting your dog removed or getting fined. Hope though that the owner does read the paper and sees that he/she won't get either, but the dog back.