Warning: Contains distressing content 

A Waikato mother has described the terrifying moment her young child was mauled by a rescued dog in an unprovoked, bloodied attack before being saved by his five siblings. 

The 4-year-old was airlifted to hospital with a number of injuries following the attack, suffering fractures to his face, skull and leg as well as numerous puncture wounds, and is now in a stable condition following two surgeries. 

The family of seven, including 4-year-old Arlo, were visiting a friend’s home in Gisborne last Friday with their two dogs. One of the dogs had been rescued by Arlo’s family just seven weeks earlier. 

“Arlo was sitting on my partner’s younger brother’s lap giving him cuddles and out of nowhere the dog just ripped him away and just fully attacked him,” Arlo’s emotional mother Cassidy told the Herald. 

She said Arlo was mauled by the dog for two minutes, despite numerous efforts from family members to rescue him. 

Photos supplied by the boy’s family show a heavily bandaged and bloodied child with deep cuts and puncture wounds across his face in the aftermath of the attack. 

“It was my other five children that saved my baby... they’re pretty traumatised too.” 

Arlo, 4, was airlifted to Waikato Hospital from Gisborne following the attack. 

Cassidy ran into the room after she heard her children screaming and saw what she described as “a murder scene”. 

“I thought my baby had no face. There was just blood everywhere.” 

The terrified mother grabbed Arlo, who was in and out of consciousness, and ran to her car before rushing him to Gisborne Hospital while on the phone with St John. 

“He would try and drift off but I keep talking to him and he would let out quiet grizzling sounds.” 

The pair arrived at the hospital about 10pm, where staff took Arlo straight away to stabilise him. 

“They wanted to fly him to Hamilton pretty much straight away but it was too foggy, so we ended up staying in Gisborne until about 10am the next morning and then we were flown to Waikato Hospital,” Cassidy said. 

The 4-year-old suffered multiple puncture wounds to his face and foot, fractures to his face, leg and skull and a broken nose. 

Arlo underwent surgery on Saturday and again on Wednesday afternoon as a result of his injuries. 

Cassidy said he suffered multiple puncture wounds to his face and foot, fractures to his face, leg and skull and a broken nose. 

He required stitches to his face and is still unable to open one of his eyes. 

“He’s in a stable condition but every day the doctors come in and they kind of bring more bad news to me,” Cassidy said. 

Cassidy told the Herald doctors were worried about his neck on Tuesday and carried out an X-ray to uncover what may have been a fracture. He had undergone surgery on Wednesday for a more accurate diagnosis. 

A spokesperson for Waikato DHB told the Herald Arlo was listed as being in a stable condition in a ward at Waikato Hospital. 

A Givealittle fundraiser set up for Arlo and his family had raised over $3100 by Wednesday night. 

“The dog locked on after throwing him around like a rag doll. He had no chance with the very large dog even though his father, uncle and 15-year-old brother were straight there,” the page read. 

“He is now recovering but the road will be very long the family needs support to get through this.” 

Cassidy told the Herald the money would be used for seeking help from counsellors for her five other children, who all witnessed the attack, as well as for Arlo’s future. 

“He’s going to have to have therapy and numerous appointments to go back and forth for hearing, eyesight and his broken leg to try walk on it again.” 

Cassidy said she had been at the hospital since Saturday and had only managed about two hours sleep each night. 

“To be honest, I’m not very good at the moment. 

“I’m so overwhelmed and I’m still actually trying to process everything that’s happening and what’s happened.” 

Cassidy said she’s spoken with Arlo but he hasn’t said very much following the attack. 

Arlo is in a stable condition at Waikato Hospital after undergoing two surgeries in four days. 

“I know in about a week’s time he’s going to have to go into theatre again to remove some stitches, but at the moment I think everyone’s just taking it day by day.” 

Extended family members had flown to Hamilton from Wellington to support the family. 

“[My other children] are not really taking it very well,” she said. 

Cassidy said the family’s other dog attempted to save Arlo by trying to rip the rescue dog off him and bite it. 

The rescue dog was allegedly taken from the Gisborne address an hour after the attack on Friday and it was put down on Monday. 

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.