New Zealand

Dog puts boy in hospital

13:29 pm on 27 March 2014

] A three-year-old boy is in Tauranga Hospital with moderate facial injuries after being attacked by a pit-bull cross dog on Thursday morning.

The child was taken to hospital by ambulance and is in a comfortable condition.

Police say officers are investigating. Tauranga City Council has also begun an investigation.

Senior Sergeant Shannon Clifford says the dog has been seized by animal control.

"The dog was chained up and the boy was playing around near the dog," he said. "At some point the dog has bitten the boy whilst still being chained up."

The dog belonged to his aunty and he and his family were staying at her home.

Sakurako Uehara, 7, was attacked by four Staffordshire bull terrier crosses at a Bay of Plenty home on 3 March.

Police said on Thursday the two owners of the dogs have been jointly charged with owning a dog that caused serious injury.