A seven year old boy with serious injuries is undergoing surgery after being attacked by his uncle's pit bull terrier in South Auckland.
A spokesperson for Middlemore Hospital said the boy arrived at the hospital in a serious condition at about 1.30pm today, and was in a stable condition before going into surgery.
The Manurewa-Papakura councillor, Calum Penrose, said he had been told the boy will need years of facial surgery, and it was the fourth time in a month a pit bull had attacked a child in South Auckland.
"How many more children do we need to be put into this situation before something is done about it."
Council animal control officers were becoming extremely frustrated by pit bull terriers, and the dog would be put down next week, Mr Penrose said.
The police said they were advised a child had been bitten by a dog and they notified Auckland Council's dog ranger.
Auckland Council's Animal Management said it responded to the dog attack at Matawalu Place in Takanini.
Its spokesperson, Geoff Keber, said the dog owner's seven-year-old nephew was bitten by the pit bull.
It has taken the dog to a shelter and is investigating the incident, he said