Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended the scene in Tairua. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust
Two dogs have been seized by council inspectors after they mauled a woman near Tairua.
The woman in her 60s was seriously injured in the morning attack and flown to Waikato Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter on Wednesday.
Thames-Coromandel District Council regulatory manager Brian Taylor said staff responded immediately to the incident and two dogs were seized.
"An attack of this nature is out of the ordinary for us and our thoughts are with the woman that was injured yesterday."
Because it was an ongoing investigation, Taylor said the council would not comment further at this time.
Taylor said there had not been a noticeable increase in dog attacks in the district during the past three years.
Since July 2023, there had been 67 attacks on other animals by dogs and 32 on people.
That compared to 56 attacks on animals and 34 on people in the 2022/2023 year and in the 12 months before that, there were 53 attacks on other animals and 37 on people.
A Waikato Hospital spokesperson said the woman remained in a stable condition on a ward.
Police said the council was the lead agency handling the investigation into the attack.
It was unclear whether the dogs have been destroyed.
Last year, Elizabeth "Effie" Whittaker, who was 78, died after a dog attack in the backyard of her Ōtiria Road home in Northland.