Animal control officers seized two dogs after the attack in the Christchurch suburb Brywndwr. Photo: Sam Sherwood / RNZ
The two dogs that attacked and injured three people in Brywndwr yesterday could be euthanised, a councillor says.
One person has critical injuries, another was seriously injured, and a third was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Animal control officers seized two dogs after the attack.
Fendalton ward councillor David Cartwright said it was "absolutely devastating".
"My thoughts go out to [the victims], their family, and obviously the first responders who would have been faced with what I understand is quite a gruesome situation when they arrived."
Staff would now work through what happens to the dogs, he said.
"My understanding is that there will be an investigation, and then a possible euthanasia for the dogs, if it's found that they are ... violent or uncontrollable."
Staff would work alongside police, talk to any witnesses, and be sure that they had impounded the correct dogs, said Cartwright.
The Dog Control Act says dogs can be impounded if they've attacked a person or another dog.
The owner of a dog that causes serious injury can be imprisoned for up to three years or fined up to $20,000.
The court will also order the dog destroyed if they owner is convicted, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Christchurch City Council said no previous complaints about the dogs had been reported, and they were impounded pending an ongoing police investigation.
"The owner may voluntarily surrender the dogs for euthanasia, or on conviction, the court must grant an order for destruction unless the owner can demonstrate exceptional circumstances as to why the dogs should not be destroyed.
"No decisions have been made and we have no further comment to make at this time."
Cartwright said he also planned to ask staff to review local bylaws to ensure they were fit for purpose.
But he said a central government review of the Dog Control Act would have the biggest impact in preventing attacks.
Shane Jones says dog owners must be held accountable with hefty jail terms Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
The Christchurch attack comes the same week 62-year-old Mihiata Te Rore was killed by dogs while visiting a home in the Northland town of Kaihu.
Northland local and cabinet ministerShane Jones said the current laws were not fit for purpose and "homicidal dogs" were scattered around Northland - with the problem worsening over years.
Dog owners must be held accountable with hefty jail terms, he said.
Te Rore was the fourth person in New Zealand killed by dogs in the last four years, three of which were in Northland.
Elizabeth Whittaker was killed in an attack in 2023 while Neville Thomson died in a 2022 attack. A four-year-old boy was also killed in an attack in the Bay of Plenty last year.
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