Dog attack victim wants owner fined, not jailed

A woman badly mauled by eight pig dogs six weeks ago wants to see the owner fined, not jailed.

Margit Christensen, 36, suffered extensive injuries to her head, body and limbs on August 3 when she was attacked for about 15 minutes by the bull terrier-cross dogs while running near her Arapuni farmhouse.

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Mrs Christensen said yesterday she did not want Tuhakaraina to be given a jail sentence. "I don't bear any grudges towards Tara. She has made a mistake and the best outcome would be a monetary fine, and not to be put in prison."

Tuhakaraina should not be able to own a dog for five years, she said. MORE>>

That's the sad reality of a lack of dog education that is out there.

I'm happy that Margit doesn't want to see a prison sentence, because, well... what's done is done, and we all have to live in our community, and the one she's living in is pretty small. There are others ways that Tuhakaraina can ''do the right thing'', and being in prison isn't really one of them. Restorative justice would work here...

Community service in which Tuhakaraina learns about dog behaviour, and helps out at a rescue group, or a dog club would be great to see... helping care for Margit in some way while she's recovering is another.

It takes a community to raise a dog and a child...