Dog attack at footy oval while game is being played sends child and elderly man to hospital

A child and elderly man have both been taken to hospital after being mauled by a dog at a popular oval while a football game took place.

A child and elderly man have been taken to hospital after being set upon by a dog at a northeast cricket oval.

The attack happened just after 2pm at Pertaringa Oval in Banksia Park, with an ambulance taking a child to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and a 54-year-old man to Modbury Hospital.

An SA Ambulance spokeswoman said the child of unknown age suffered damage to his ear while the man sustained injuries to one of his arms and a hand.

Pertaringa Oval is used by the Tea Tree Gully football and cricket teams and there were fixtures scheduled at the time of the attack.

A spectator at the match who did not wish to be named told The Advertiser that the dog, which appeared to be a young rottweiler, attacked the child near the coach’s box while his mum was close by.

“I saw two males tackling the dog and holding it, essentially putting it into a headlock and patting it and calming it down,” he said.

“The mum and the child rushed off to the clubrooms and then the guy who I think was the owner was bleeding from the neck, it looked like he got clawed.

“Not a single soul was watching the game, they were just watching the commotion. It was pretty harrowing.”

Tea Tree Gully Council has been contacted for comment.