Owner defends pet after bichon bitten

There may be more to a canine caper in Dunedin than a simple case of dog bites dog.

In fact, it may be a case of dog bites dog to save dog.

Or, more exactly, Kaiser the German shepherd mauls Murphy the bichon frise to protect an unnamed cocker spaniel.

At least, that is the claim being made by Kaiser's owner, Dunedin woman Katie Tucholski.

Mrs Tucholski is contesting a decision by the Dunedin City Council to classify Kaiser as a menacing dog, which would require the dog to be neutered and kept caged or muzzled at all times.

The council's move followed a run-in that sent fur flying at the Wakari dog park on November 10 between Kaiser and Murphy.

Murphy's owner, Christine Young, claimed her dog was playing with several others when Mrs Young heard a yelp.

She turned to see her little pet in Kaiser's mouth, as the larger dog was growling and barking, a report by council animal control team leader Ros MacGill said.

After Mrs Young screamed and passers-by shouted, Mrs Tucholski eventually forced Kaiser to release Murphy.

The smaller dog was left with extensive bruising and muscle damage requiring veterinary treatment, the report said.

However, when spoken to by council staff, Mrs Tucholski insisted the attack was not unprovoked, the report said.

She claimed Kaiser was merely defending a third dog - a cocker spaniel - attacked moments earlier by Murphy, which "prompted Kaiser to defend the cocker spaniel by biting Murphy", the report said.

It was the second time Kaiser had been involved in an incident, after grabbing the arm of a member of the public in 2007, causing an injury, the report said.

Council staff had opted not to classify the dog as menacing following the previous incident, after Mrs Tucholski offered to keep her pet muzzled and not let him off a lead in a public place in future.

The council's hearings committee would hear Mrs Tucholski's appeal against the classification on January 24.

Mrs Tucholski declined to comment when contacted, and Mrs Young could not be reached.

chris.morris@odt.co.nz

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