Balclutha 81-year-old in desperate fight with dogs savaging her pet

Otago Daily Times

02-07-2025

An elderly dog owner is in shock after a savage attack outside Balclutha Dog Park.
Diane Le Sueur, 81, was taking her 8-year-old bichon-shitzu cross, Alice, to the small dog enclosure at Centennial Park about 11.30am on June 24.
"As we were passing the large dog park, an Alsation and a Rottweiler came bounding over very aggressively, barking and growling at Alice from the other side of the fence," Mrs Le Sueur said.
"I pulled her away, over on to the grass, and then they were at the gates and they got out out and they were just into her."
Her dog was pulled off her leash as the two big dogs attacked, she said.
"The Alsatian had no collar but I managed to grab it and tip it over and pin it on the ground under my knee, but the Rottweiler was huge.
"Everything went silent but I could hear it, the tearing and their breath and the howling ... I just watched them eating my dog."
She said the owner of the large dogs then ran out of the park to intervene, but the Rottweiler slipped its collar, and she was bitten while still trying to separate the animals during the attack.
After the animals were separated, both owners rushed to a nearby veterinarian.
From there, St John's ambulance was called to take Mrs Le Sueur to Clutha Health First hospital, where she received stitches in "a deep 2.7cm gash" on her right hand.
Alice had emergency surgery.
Mrs Le Sueur said the vet's report described how Alice's lungs were visible on arrival.
After the incident she made a complaint to the Clutha District Council and police, requesting both dogs be put down.
"They were so aggressive. I think they're a danger to the community," she said
"There's a playground right there ... what if it had been someone's small child?"
More than a week after the attack, she had heard nothing from council or the police and was disappointed the faulty dog park gates did not appear to have been fixed, she said.
Council chief executive Steve Hill said the incident was under active investigation.
"As the matter is part of an ongoing enforcement process, we can't comment at this stage.
"In regard to the gates, a latch has been adjusted and latches are functioning under normal expected working conditions. The internal gates are a spring loaded gate which don't have latches. These gates are primarily for creating a safety zone for persons to exit quickly in the event they need to vacate the park in an emergency.
"Policies around dog control have to fit within the requirements of the legislation Dog Control Act 1996," Mr Hill said.
"The dog park was built approximately two years ago ... this is the first recorded incident council has had for this facility."