Woman drags boy from savage mauling

A boy who suffered a savage mauling by four pig-hunting dogs while cycling home in the Waikato is traumatised but recovering in hospital.

And a woman who risked her own life to save him is being praised as a hero by police.

The 13-year-old boy was passing through Waitoa, near Te Aroha, when the pitbull-greyhound crosses attacked him about 5pm on Monday.

The dogs knocked the boy off his bike and tore his clothes off.

The frenzied attack lasted several minutes and left the boy with more than 100 wounds - many bone-deep - in his arms, legs and buttocks.

Sergeant Rod Smart of Morrinsville police said the dogs' owner was unable to free the helpless boy, who put his arms up to keep them at bay.

The owner desperately waved down a passing local motorist, Jenny Robinson. With the aid of two other women, she managed to get the boy into her car's front seat. MORE>>