Dog seized after biting two people

A dog described as a threat to the community has been seized by the Tauranga City Council after allegedly biting two people.

The two victims are known to the dog's owners and are not prepared to complain, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.

The council has seized the four-year-old bull mastiff/bull terrier cross, and is awaiting the outcome of court proceedings against the owner, who is charged with failing to de-sex or microchip the male dog.

Calls for tougher measures to protect the public from dangerous dogs have been made today after two-year-old Aotea Coxon was mauled at a park in Christchurch yesterday by a staffordshire-cross.

Aotea is in a stable condition in Christchurch Hospital after surgery requiring 290 stitches and a plate inserted in her broken jaw.

The dog has been put down, with the permission of the owner.

Today, Prime Minister Helen Clark said dangerous dogs gave her the "creeps" and she was personally in favour of tough dog laws.

Miss Clark said she was "repulsed" by the attack on Aotea.

"It gives you the creeps to think of dangerous dogs strolling around ready to pounce on innocent people. That is why I am more than happy to keep looking at how the law can be improved and how enforcement can be improved," Miss Clark said.

Miss Clark said she had "stronger views" on dog laws than most people, but every time there was a call for a tougher regime there was "pushback" from responsible dog owners and breeders.

The Government was currently waiting for a report it commissioned three months ago.

"After a previous horrific attack a few months ago I called for another review of how the last set of amendments had bedded into the law and also at the level of enforcement," Miss Clark said.

"I am still waiting for a full report to come back from the Department of Internal Affairs on that, but we are on the case to see what could be done better."

Some breeds were already banned from importation and others were required to be muzzled.

"The issue for me is whether that ban goes far enough and the breeds that are specified. The dog that mauled the small child in the park just in recent days was not on that list of banned breeds."

- NZPA