A Christchurch father remains in critical condition and his teenage son is recovering from serious injuries after a dog attack on Saturday afternoon, an incident described by a friend of the dogs’ owner as a “bloodbath.” The attack occurred at a home in Bryndwr whereas the father and son were visiting a friend.
Police have summoned a 40-year-old woman to court under the Dog Control Act in relation to the attack, which involved two American Bulldog cross dogs. According to witnesses and the dogs’ owner’s friend, who wished to remain anonymous, the attack appeared to come without warning. The friend stated the boy was attacked first, prompting the father and the owner to intervene.
“They ran out there yelling at the dogs to stop and that might have enhanced the excitement at the time,” the friend said. She described a chaotic scene where the father sustained critical injuries while attempting to shield his son. “He got him on to the bonnet of the car and he was trying to fend the dogs off and because he was in between them and the kid, they got him,” she explained. “All the bites were on the legs.”
The friend clarified that while the father’s injuries were initially described as critical, they were less severe than first feared, stemming from a nicked vein causing significant blood loss. Both the father and son remain hospitalized and may require surgery, but are reportedly in stable condition and “in good spirits.”
The dogs’ owner, described as a responsible pet owner by friends and neighbors, is reportedly devastated by the incident. The friend stated the owner had apologized to the boy’s father, who responded by saying, “what are you sorry for? This isn’t your fault.” The dogs, sisters who had lived with their owner since birth approximately four years ago, were typically well-behaved and respectful, according to those familiar with them.
However, the friend suggested a prior incident may have contributed to the dogs’ altered behavior. Several months ago, police searching a neighboring property pepper-sprayed the dogs while briefly entering the property. “Ever since then they’ve really not been the same. They’ve been more reactive,” she said.
The dogs have been impounded by Christchurch City Council pending the ongoing police investigation. The council stated the owner may voluntarily surrender the dogs for euthanasia, or the court may order their destruction upon conviction, unless “exceptional circumstances” are demonstrated. The owner is reportedly leaning towards surrendering the dogs, acknowledging the low probability of being allowed to keep them, particularly given she has a young child.
Neighbors reported no previous complaints about the dogs, describing them as “like children” and “treated as part of the family.” A neighbor who witnessed the aftermath of the attack described finding “blood everywhere.”
Christchurch City Council confirmed they had not received any prior complaints regarding the dogs involved in the attack.
