Hamilton dog attack New Zealand: Newborn baby fighting for life

A newborn baby, understood to be just a day old, is fighting for life after being set upon by a dog at a New Zealand home last night.

A dog that savaged a newborn baby in Hamilton in New Zealand last night has been seized and is now in a city council pound.

The critically-injured infant, understood to be one-day-old, is fighting for life in Waikato Hospital after being set upon by the animal at an Enderley property last night.

Hamilton City Council animal control manager Susan Stanford said staff were contacted by police shortly after 7pm yesterday to attend a reported dog attack involving a baby.

Staff collected the dog and it was now secured at the council’s animal control facility, she said.

RELATED: Newborn baby mauled to death in savage dog attack

RELATED: Baby mauled to death by dog at 4th of July party

A baby has been attacked by a dog in Hamilton, New Zealand. Picture: Wikipedia

Further decisions regarding the animal would be informed by the ongoing police investigation.

“This is a traumatic time for all involved and our thoughts are with the families and individuals involved,” said Stanford.

She said the council was supporting the ongoing police investigation, and was not in a position to make further comment.

Today police confirmed emergency services were called to a Hamilton address about 7pm on Sunday after an infant was bitten by a dog.

St John Ambulance said the infant was taken to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition.

The spokesperson said an ambulance and a manager were sent to a property in the eastern suburb of Enderley at 7.02pm.

A police spokesperson said inquiries into the circumstances of the incident were ongoing.

The baby was still in a critical condition in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit shortly after midday on Monday, Stuff reports.

This story appeared in NZ Herald and has been republished with permission