Mammoth surgery after dog attack

A five-year-old girl attacked by a dog in Whakatane yesterday is still undergoing surgery after doctors worked through the night to treat her facial injuries.

The girl was flown to Waikato Hospital with multiple cuts to her face after she was attacked while visiting friends or family yesterday afternoon.

The surgical team were still in theatre and her condition was not yet known, Waikato Hospital spokeswoman Mary Anne Gill said.

TVNZ reported that the girl was visiting neighbours with her mother when the dogs set upon her.

Whakatane District Council spokesman Barney Dzowa said that about 1pm the neighbour let their female pitbull and male pitbull mastiff-cross out of their kennel in the backyard and they immediately set upon the child.

territorial guarding.... these dogs probably didn't get their daily walks!! How sad for everyone.

The dogs are due to be destroyed today.