Stacey Penn: victim of Auckland pitbull attack speaks after Michael Hill store incident

A pitbull launched itself from a moving vehicle and stormed into an Auckland jewellery store, injuring an employee during the incident.

Auckland Council confirmed the owner was given an infringement notice and education on dog control after the attack.

Stacey Penn says the punishment for the owner 'wasn't fair' and further consequences are needed.

"The fact that she's already been warned previously and still chose to drive around with her dog in her car - she'd been told to muzzle it and didn't muzzle it. So it's not the first time it's happened."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now a fair bit of chat today about what happened

(00:01):
with the football and Pooka Koe. This is the one
that charged into the jewelry shop. What happened is the
football leaped from a moving car and headed into the
jewelry shop this is Michael Hill, and then lunged for
a small dog that was already in the shop. The
woman who was working in the shop ran over to
intervene was able to subdue the pitbull, but in the
process tore her rotator cuff as the football lunched. Football

(00:22):
Zoner was issued an infringement dog was required to be
nuted in muzzle. The woman who was working in the
shop with Stacy Penn. Hi, Stacy, Hi, how are you?
I'm very well, thank you? Do you reckon? The punishment
for the owner was fair.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
No, I don't actually why I don't because I think
when you have a dog like that, you should be
held responsible for the actions.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
What were the actions? I mean, here's the thing. I
love being tough on dogs. But did the dog bite anyone?

Speaker 2 (00:49):
No, it will bit the other dog. But the fact
that she'd already been warned previously and still chose to
drive around with her dog in a car. She'd been
told to muzzle it and didn't muzzle it. So it's
not the first time it's happened, is that right?

Speaker 1 (01:03):
So this so okay? What had happened before this?

Speaker 2 (01:07):
What were the circumstances, According to the council, she had
been warned before, as they said in the Herald interview.
The council responded saying she had been worn previously.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Warned for what for the dog biting other dogs or
chasing other dogs?

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Chasing?

Speaker 1 (01:21):
Okay, And she had been told to muzzle the dog
in public.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
Yes, she had, and they reiterated that, yet she hadn't
done it. It was actually noted as an aggressive dog. So,
I mean, I love dogs. I've had dogs in the
past having a little break at the moment mine passed away.
But I think that it's just it's like being Look, honestly,
if you had a toddler that has been an absolute

(01:44):
little bugger, would you you know, if you're in public,
would you blame the parent or the toddler? I would
blame the parent.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yeah, fair point. Okay, So that you say the dog
did actually bite the.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Kaboodle, she had a go at it. Yes, the luckily
the kaboodle was very hairy at the time, and I
only sustained a few nips. I got in there pretty quickly.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
What would have happened if you guys weren't there to
pull the dogs apart?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
I think the kabudle would have probably been attacked severely
and bitten.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yes, very soon, Stacey Town. I'm quite harsh on dogs
because I do have a toddler and I hate the
idea of you know, I think dogs are such a
threat to kids, but also because I feel like the
council is not tough enough. And I think having been warned,
having ignored the warning, dog was attacking another dog would
have actually bitten the dog if you guys weren't there.
All of those things make me think that dog should

(02:36):
have been put down.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
What do you think it possibly should have been? Yes,
But I'm such a dog lover. I hate to think
of anything being put down. But if something as a
threaten threatening to another dog or an adult or a child,
then absolutely, I mean, it's just a given, isn't it.
It's a very sad thing to say it probably will
happen again because that dog is very reactive the way

(02:58):
it's been manager obviously doesn't have boundaries of safe space
and discipline. I'm not saying you should hit your dog,
but there are definitely things you can place to make
your dog less reactive to people. The fact that this
dog jumped out of a moving car worries me.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, well that's pretty fall It wasn't.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
Just walking down the road on a leash, saw a
dog that had a sniff and then they both went
to it. This dog actually jumped out of a moving
car across the busy road and Pokakoi came into an
establishment and attacked a little kaboodle. Would you imagine had
that that dog been with a owner who had a
toddler with that dog.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
Yeah, and well exactly would you if you wouldn't go
as far as I would and putting the dog down,
would you at least take the dog off the owner?

Speaker 2 (03:46):
I would. I would make you go through extremely intensive
dog training and see if that dog is going to
be rehabilitated.

Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
In the past, I've actually had the blea of having
an ex fighting dog. I got approached by somebody who
saw me on Facebook because I am very love dogs,
and that dog now what she was, Sorry, she's passed
once she learned that she didn't have to fight for food,
didn't have to be staunched because I asked her to
and I got her nursed. I think nursuring a dogs

(04:21):
is a very very bixing in New Zealand. And I
also think that perhaps the government could step in and
make nurturing a lot more available for people because it's
so expensive.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah, that's a fair poin and hey, Stacy, thanks very much,
appreciate it and look after yourself. Stacy Penn, former Michael
Hill employee. For more from Heather Duplassy Allen Drive, listen
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