Bus attack: dog’s fate unknown

The Bayline Coaches supervisor who was bitten by a dog while trying to protect children on a school bus in Windermere is today recovering at home after being discharged from Tauranga Hospital.

The 61-year-old was called to the bus stop on the corner of Poike Road and Windermere Drive on Monday morning after the bus driver reported an aggressive pit bull-bull terrier cross attempting to get on the bus.

The operations supervisor suffered puncture wounds to his right lower leg when he confronted the dog and was taken to Tauranga Hospital where he underwent surgery on Tuesday.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board communications manager Diana Marriot says he has since been released from hospital.

Tauranga City Council animal control services were called to the attack and report the dog is now at the pound.

A Tauranga City Council spokesperson says animal services are still investigating the incident and are a decision about the fate of the dog will not be made for a couple of days.

Council Animal Services team leader Brent Lincoln says the dog was a pit bull/bull terrier cross.

“We have the dog in the pound and have located and contacted the dog’s owner.”

“There’s only three conditions where we can put it down, one is where the owner surrenders the dog to us, the other is where we can prosecute and the court makes a destruction order, and thirdly if nobody claims a dog and after seven days the dog can be put down.

The only time they are empowered to act is if they are present at the time of the attack and for the purposes of stopping the attack. Once it’s in the pound, the council is bound by the Dog Control Act.

Brett is in contact with a person in relation to the dog. He would not say if it was a registered dog.

Bayline Coaches manager Jeanette Proctor says this is the second time a dog has approached the bus in this area.

Bayline is in contact with council animal services and Jeanette says they are being proactive in dealing with the attack.

“They’ve certainly been quite responsive. Animal services are following it through.

“We will certainly be following it through with our processes to see if there is something we need to implement or look at to ensure the safety of our drivers and children.”
Jeanette believes the attack came out of “extraordinary circumstances” which do not happen on a regular basis.

“We are certainly taking it quite seriously.”