• An 8-year-old girl was hospitalised after a dog attack at Taipā Beach in Northland.
• The Far North District Council said it is investigating.
• Local residents are concerned about safety, urging caution due to stray and off-leash dogs.

A second dog attack - this time on a child - has happened at a popular Northland beach as calls grow louder for solutions to the district’s dog-control problem.

An 8-year-old girl was hospitalised after the dog attack on Taipā Beach in the Far North on Wednesday afternoon.

Her mother, whom the Northern Advocate has chosen not to name, confirmed the attack on social media and said her daughter was now out of Kaitāia Hospital and “doing ok”.

She believed the dog had been euthanised and confirmed the incident was unrelated to another recent dog attack on the beach, which left a 42-year-old local woman with multiple puncture wounds to her leg.

The Far North District Council said a dog had been impounded by animal management officers, and an investigation to determine whether there was any enforcement action on the dog owner was under way.

Patrols at Taipā were recently stepped up due to the previous dog attack, a council spokesperson said.

Kate Taylor-Reid was mauled by a pack of roaming dogs earlier this month and had to seek hospital treatment.

“It does not appear there is a connection between the dog impounded ... and recently reported attacks at Taipā.

“The incident highlights the importance of owners ensuring their dogs are under control at all times, to protect members of the public.”

Local residents are concerned for their children’s safety and are urging each other to avoid the area or carry weapons due to stray and off-leash dogs.

As the holiday season approaches, an influx of visitors will also soon flock to the area.

One resident urged her family: “Don’t take the kids down there over Xmas like we used to”, and another said, “I’m too scared to take my baby for a swim anywhere around Taipā or Doubtless Bay because of dogs like this”.

Two weeks ago local woman Kate Taylor-Reid was mauled by a pack of roaming dogs on Taipā Beach and had to seek hospital treatment.

Local residents are urging each other to avoid Taipā Beach or carry weapons due to stray and off-leash dogs.

Taylor-Reid suffered multiple puncture wounds and severe bruising when two of the five dogs that rushed up to her latched onto her leg on December 4.

The dogs are known to roam in a pack and locals say they avoid the area.

And in 2019, another Northland woman’s chihuahua was mauled on Taipā Beach by a pair of Staffordshire bull terriers. One of the staffies tore a chunk out of the small dog’s leg.

Resident Merv Priestley, whose cat was attacked by stray dogs a couple of years ago, said “everyone is well aware there is a problem”.

“Dog owners are so lax around here, about dogs having to be restrained.

“That’s because even if you are caught with your dog unrestrained the worst that can happen is dog control comes around and has a friendly chat.

“So why bother?”

The council spokesperson said animal management staff would be on duty throughout the holiday period.

Anyone can report stray or aggressive dogs at any time by calling the council on 0800 920 029.

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.