Boy (6) savaged by policeman's dogs

The young son of a police officer is in hospital with severe head, face and arm injuries after being savaged by two dogs owned by another officer.

Brooking Poi, a "happy-go-lucky little boy" who recently celebrated his 6th birthday, was surrounded by whanau in Gisborne Hospital last night after the attack at a Ruatoria home on Wednesday afternoon.

Doctors were considering whether to fly him to Waikato Hospital for specialist treatment of his injuries.

Police say the two dogs, both shar pei cross-breeds, belonged to a police officer who was away in Gisborne for court duty at the time of the attack.

The youngster, son of Ruatoria constable Boycie Poi, was alone when he wandered into the yard where the dogs were kept.

No one was home at the time.

The two dogs were roaming free inside the fenced yard when they attacked Brooking, reportedly as he was playing on a trampoline, about 4pm.

Neighbour Jimmy Aupouri saw the attack and was able to pull the dogs off the boy and call for help.

Mr Aupouri, a Ngati Porou East Coast rugby executive, last night told how he ran in to help the boy.

"I was freaked out. When I grabbed him, it was no longer just a battle for one but a battle for the two of us."

Mr Aupouri was not hurt in the attack.

He said he had been with Brooking and his family all yesterday, comforting them.

"I deal with a lot of children and teenagers, and that particular boy we know very well and are very close to the family.

"We are also very close to the family who own the dogs."

Mr Aupouri gave a statement to the police late last night, and said he would speak to them again this morning.

The Eastland Community Trust rescue helicopter picked Brooking up from Te Puia Springs Medical Centre and flew him to Gisborne Hospital, where he had surgery.

It is understood he was able to talk to nurses yesterday morning.

His uncle Mick Tupara said last night that family members had been coming and going at the hospital throughout the day and were still coming to terms with the incident.

"Everybody's pretty low at the moment," he told the Herald.

"He's got plenty of family around him. We can't see him picking up very quickly."

Mr Tupara described Brooking as a "typical little 6-year-old nephew".

"He loves life, he loves playing ... he's a happy-go-lucky little boy. Everybody loves him to bits - he just wouldn't be the sort of kid to do anything wrong by the family."

In March, Brooking emptied his piggy-bank to give his savings to help people affected by the Christchurch earthquakes.

His mother, Simone Poi, told the Gisborne Herald he saved the money by doing household chores and saving his pocket money.

Police spokeswoman Kris McGehan said no one was home when Brooking wandered alone into the police officer's yard.

"The dogs were locked up in the fully fenced yard ... The kid walked into the backyard and the dogs have gone for him.

"We're investigating it, and we don't know how long it's going to take."

Asked whether Brooking was supervised at the time, Ms McGehan said: "We're not sure - that's what the investigation will be about."

The dogs have been destroyed. They were reportedly both registered.

One of the shar pei dogs was crossed with a labrador and the other with a pitbull, Gisborne District Council chief animal control officer Pat Collins said.

Owners must keep their dogs under control at all times, especially when children were on a property.

- Additional reporting: Gisborne Herald