The owner of a Staffordshire bull terrier that attacked a collie in Queenstown says it had never previously been aggressive.
The incident, which was the second dog-on-dog attack by the breed in the Wakatipu in three days in August, happened after the dog ran out the open door of its Hanleys Farm home.
The owners of both dogs have appealed their menacing classifications to the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s dog control committee.
An animal control team report on the August 7 incident said the Staffordshire bull terrier, Lucy, escaped from its property before attacking the collie, Rue, in Barn Rd about 5pm.
After circling Rue, Lucy bit her "aggressively" on the throat.
The woman walking Rue suffered a minor finger injury as she tried to separate the dogs.
The collie sustained a throat wound that required veterinary treatment, the report said.
After an investigation, Lucy was classified as menacing the following month.
She now must be muzzled when she is off her property.
Lucy’s owner, Immogen Grice, told the panel she did not witness the incident, but challenged the classification because no evidence was provided by the council about how it started.
Lucy had a behavioural evaluation and several obedience training sessions. No problem behaviour had been detected.
Lucy’s excitable nature around other dogs meant she was "always on the receiving end" of other dogs’ aggression.
The escape had been a "freak accident", caused by a faulty front door, which would not happen again, Ms Grice said.
Animal control manager Carrie Edgerton told the panel a menacing classification was used when a dog was considered "a threat to people or animals".
Although attacks were unpleasant for everyone involved, the owners of victim dogs expected the council to take action, Ms Edgerton said.
Muzzles were a "fantastic" tool because they prevented more attacks.
Asked by panel member Craig Ferguson why "nice" dogs with no history of aggression could attack, Ms Edgerton said all dogs had that potential.
