Jack Attack

A story from Manawautu Standard (New Zealand), circa 2005.

Terrier rips woman's face
12 May 2005 :: By Anna Wallis

A woman whose face was ripped by a jack russell terrier will need a skin graft from the back of her neck to fix her nose.

Yvonne Pettersen can't quite believe such a small dog is capable of causing such injuries.

But the dog tore at her face on Monday afternoon while she was walking along the Manawatu River embankment.

It has since been impounded and police and Palmerston North City Council staff are investigating the incident.

The Palmerston North woman was walking with a friend and a friend's dog on the river bank near Dittmer Drive when they noticed the jack russell wandering around dragging a chain and leash. Thinking the owner may have had an accident, they went to the river and searched as far as the swimming hole and back again.

"We didn't know what to do and the dog came up to us again. He was all happy and we thought maybe we should look after him.

"I just bent down and he lunged at my face. He took two big bites, I think. I started screaming and shoved my jacket over my face to stop the bleeding. The dog just kept going. I lost my glasses."

Miss Pettersen's friend came to her aid, as did a Neighbourhood Watch member.

They got the dog away and Miss Pettersen into a car and to a doctor's surgery. She was later hospitalised and has a multitude of stitches, both internal and external, in her ripped cheek and nose. And a puncture hole in her face had to be "superglued".

"Next Tuesday they are going to do a skin graft on my nose, using skin from the back of my neck which is the best match for colour."

A dog lover, she said the dog she and her friend were walking played no part in the attack.

"The jack russell was interested in him. But Jasper tried to keep out of its way. It seemed friendly enough, yapping about all over the place."

Miss Pettersen said she has not been able to find her glasses and would like anyone who has found them to hand them in to the Manawatu Standard office. They are bifocals with brown rims.

The police have taken photographs of her wounds and she has contacted dog control at the city council.

"The council have been wonderful . . . the Mayor even sent a big bunch of flowers."

She does not want the dog to be destroyed if it can be kept away from people, especially children.

Council animal and parking division head Peter Broughton said the dog is in the pound and both the police and the council are looking into the attack.

The dog's owners have been cooperative but it had been a "nasty incident", he said.