Drunken prank with dog backfires

A drunken man who thought it would be a good prank to pull a dog's tongue has suffered serious facial injuries after the dog bit his mouth.

The 39-year-old National Park resident was partying at a friend's house on Wednesday when he grabbed the large crossbreed dog and held it down while trying to grab its tongue.

The dog managed to free itself and lunged at the man's face, biting the corners of his mouth, Constable Conrad Smith said.

The man was taken to Taumarunui Hospital and later flown to Waikato Hospital. He was in a stable condition last night, a hospital spokeswoman said.
"He had lost a lot of blood," Mr Smith said. "It is likely he will need cosmetic surgery to repair the wounds."

The dog was impounded overnight but returned yesterday to its owner, whose house the party was held in.

"It was a bit of a bitser. It was not a pit bull or anything. It was an old dog, it has been around for a long time," Mr Smith said.

I wonder if the outcome for the dog would have been different if it were a bully breed?

No charges would be laid. "All I can say is that people need to treat animals, especially dogs, with respect".