Animal officer attacked by dog owner

A Rotorua animal control officer suffered serious head injuries when beaten while investigating a complaint.

The 60-year-old was taking control of a dog on a Kawerau property, 54km northeast of Rotorua, on Monday, when allegedly attacked by the owner.

Kawerau police Senior Sergeant Warwick Morehu said a couple of neighbours heard the men fighting and came to the rescue.

"They intervened to firstly talk down the alleged offender and then gave support to the officer who was now lying on the ground, bloodied and barely conscious," he told the Rotorua Daily Post. MORE>>

I wonder what this was all about... there's always a story behind a story. Pretty sad when it comes to this type of violence.