Palmerston North City Council are seeking information from the public following a fatal dog attack at 9.30am on Saturday.
Council manager of environmental protection services Caleb Johnson said much-loved family dog Rory was on a walk with his owners between He Ara Kotahi and Fitzherbert Avenue Bridge on the Massey side of the Manawatu River when the incident took place.
Despite being an on-leash area, the attacking dog, who has been described as a "pitbull type breed with a solid build, white colouring, and a dark grey patch over its right eye" was walking off-leash, Johnson said.
Members of the public tried to separate the dogs; however, Rory later died as a result of his injuries.
At this stage, the council has not been able to identify or speak with the owner of the attacking dog but Johnson said he was described as "a white man with dark hair, around 1.75m tall with a solid build, wearing a blue cap".
The Palmerston North City Council is investigating the matter further by reviewing CCTV and the city's dog database.
Johnson said incidents like this were rare but they "have a devastating impact on families and pets".
"Palmerston North is a city of dog lovers, with over 9500 registered dogs calling our city home. The vast majority of dog owners are responsible and help make our parks and walkways safe places for everyone."
Anyone with information about this incident with Rory was encouraged to phone Palmerston North City's Council's Animal Management team on 06 356 8199 or emailing info@pncc.govt.nz.
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