Toddler injured after dog bites face

A 3-year-old boy suffered puncture wounds to his face when he was bitten by a dog in Lower Hutt this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the scene of the attack in Taita about 2.55pm, an ambulance communications spokeswoman said.

The boy had suffered moderate facial injuries and was taken to Hutt Hospital for treatment, the spokeswoman said.

Inspector Shane Cotter said the toddler’s family were ‘‘baby-sitting’’ their friend's boxer-cross dog.

‘‘The kids were playing with the dog in the backyard and the dog sort of snapped and bit the child on the face.

‘‘There was quite a bit of bleeding.’’

Cotter said the dog had bitten the toddler once or twice ‘‘rather than a five minute going over’’.

Animal control were investigating and it was unknown what would happen to the dog, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News