Casuarina Square guard dog bites shopper on leg

A guard dog has bitten a shopper at a leading Territory mall. Read what happened and see our exclusive photo.

The Territory’s largest shopping centre will investigate an incident last week where a man was bitten by a security dog put there to keep customers safe.

Businessman Howard Dixon was walking through the centre’s underground carpark to the people-mover leading up to the banks last Monday afternoon when he said the incident occurred.

He said a security guard was standing in the carpark with the dog, an alsation, when the animal lunged and bit him on the outside of his left thigh.

Shaken and upset, he continued to make his way to the bank and left the centre after a brief conversation with the security guard who was holding the dog.

His wife contacted centre management later in the day to report the incident but had been underwhelmed by the response.

Howard Dixon was bitten by the guard dog on his way to the bank.

“I was walking from my car and I’m pretty sure the security guard with the dog was talking to another security guard in the buggy,” he said.

“I looked at the dog, it was a beautiful dog, then I took a little movement left to go across the walkway and the next thing bang, got me on the leg.

“I was a bit shook-up to be honest. My jeans were torn and when I got home we were going out to dinner that night, but I cancelled that and went to hospital and got a tetanus injection, they cleaned the wound, put a dressing on it then gave prescriptions for antibiotics.

“My wife rang security and they acknowledged this was bad and we had calls with others at Casuarina who apologised and said they hoped everything was all right then I heard nothing until Friday when my wife received a phone call to say I should come and get my voucher for the jeans.

Howard Dixon’s puncture wounds after the security dog bite April 2024

“It’s frustrating because this shouldn’t be allowed to happen. What if a woman was walking with a little kid? The dog could have grabbed a child’s throat.”

Casuarina Square management acknowledged the incident, and said an investigation was under way.

Security dogs first appeared at Casuarina Square towards the end of 2022 and have been generally well-received by shoppers concerned at anti-social behaviour at the centre.

“Casuarina Square management was alerted by its contracted security provider to an incident that occurred in the centre’s car park on Monday, April 8, 2024,” a statement said.

“The incident involved a member of the public who received a minor injury. First aid was immediately offered but refused. The member of the public voluntarily presented to Royal Darwin Hospital later that afternoon but was not admitted.

“Casuarina Square holds the safety of its customers in the highest regard. A full investigation into the incident with the centre’s contracted security provider has been undertaken.”