An elderly dementia sufferer who was knocked to the ground and mauled by a dog during a vicious attack in Upper Hutt has spent the last week in hospital and undergone multiple surgeries for broken bones.

Friend and advocate Bruce Mead said 83-year-old Leng Mui - known by locals as Helen Bock or Mrs Bock - was walking down Kentucky St on her way to feed the paradise ducks at Awakairangi Park when the incident happened.

“As she walked past a household she had to negotiate her way past two illegally parked cars on the footpath. The gate was open and a large black and white dog came out and bowled her over onto the ground and bit her severely on the hand,” Mead said.

Mui told Mead the owner rushed out to apologise, but didn’t so much as offer to help her off the ground or offer to take her to get medical attention.

Mui ended up going to hospital, where she had several operations to reset a broken bone in her hand and remove pus from the wound. She will need further operations to repair tendon damage.

She has been in hospital since the attack happened on June 2, and has suffered “exceptional” swelling in her injured hand.

“Helen’s a staunch Buddhist. . . she talks to all dogs, cats, worms, birds, butterflies, everything, even picks up worms from the concrete footpath and puts them on the grass. She’s just animal crazy,” Mead said.

Leng Mui's hand had "exceptional swelling" after the attack. Photo / Supplied

“She’s probably spoken to the dog every time she’s walked past the gate.”

Mui was born in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, and moved to Upper Hutt with her ex-husband about 50 years ago.

Mead described her as an “enigma” who was “very, very well known” by half the city of the Upper Hutt.

“Her and I have been good friends for the past 10 years . . . I took it upon myself to be her advocate, life guide, mentor, whatever you want to call it.

“I drive her around the place to feed her ducks and look at other animals."

Leng Mui must have multiple surgeries to repair the damage done by the dog. Photo / Supplied

Mead posted on a local community page urging the dog owner to come forward about the attack, but said he has now reported the matter to police and the Upper Hutt City Council.

He spoke to both this morning, who told him they would liaise on the matter and get back to him.

Mead had no desire to see the dog put down, but said this type of incident “can’t carry on”.

The council’s director of planning and regulatory services, Helen Hamilton, said they received formal notification of the attack this morning.

“We have opened an investigation that is currently underway. As this is an active investigation, we cannot comment any further on this matter.”