Dog owner blames themself for park attack

Wednesday, 19 November 2025

A dog owner blamed themself for an attack at a Masterton park by one of their dogs, saying if they had not been off work sick with flu it probably would not have happened.

The Masterton District Council is now considering whether a classification of “menacing”, attached to the two dogs following the attack at a local park, was accurate after the dogs’ owner objected.

While only one dog of the pair was involved in the attack on another dog, the council had classified both as American pit bulls. The owner admitted the dog was not being kept under control when the incident happened.

Under the Dog Control Act, American pit bulls must be classified as menacing, meaning they would need to be muzzled in public places, desexed and subject to other controls.

The council hearings committee met on Wednesday to consider the case.

The owner took responsibility for the attack and said the dogs had never been aggressive before.

“The incident would not have occurred if I had not made serious errors in judgment that day,” they said.

“Errors that had I not been riddled with flu and off work sick, I am confident would not have occurred. I am responsible and I alone accountable in this case. My dogs are being further punished for what in this case is error on my part.

“My dogs, though enthusiastic, are not people nor stock aggressive. Up until this incident had never shown dog aggression. Any injuries the other dog owner sustained were from her own dog.”

A report from the council’s dog control officer said when they visited the owner’s property after the incident, they had to ask for the dogs to be removed from the room so they could focus.

“On entry to the property both were running freely inside the house,” the officer said.

“I allowed the dogs to sniff me to display typical dog behaviours. Both dogs continued circling me to the point that I had to ask for the dogs to be put in another room to make me feel comfortable to focus on obtaining a summary of events.

“At this point in time, I had developed the opinion that [the] dogs are of the pit bull type.”

The officer described the dogs’ behaviour as “concerning”.

The decision of the hearings committee will be made public after the council’s meeting in December.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.