'Horrendous': Family’s heartbreak after dog killed in riverbank attack

Author: Imogene Bedford,
Publish Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2026, 9:02pm

Rory was brutally attacked on a walk along the Manawatū River pathway in Palmerston North last Saturday.

A Palmerston North family whose beloved dog died after a savage attack have issued a plea to find the owner of the animal responsible.

Rory, a 6-year-old spoodle, died after suffering catastrophic injuries in an attack along the Manawatū River pathway last weekend.

The dog’s owner, Nathan, told the Herald the person handling the attacking dog walked away without identifying themselves.

He said his wife had been walking Rory near the Fitzherbert Bridge when she passed a man restraining his larger dog by the collar.

Moments later, the dog broke free and attacked Rory in an assault so violent it ripped him out of his harness.

“He just grabbed on to him, held him and shook him for a good four minutes. They couldn’t get him off.”

Two women who witnessed the attack rushed to help and eventually managed to separate the dogs.

The beloved family dog was described by his owner as "lovely, caring and gentle".

Rory was rushed to a veterinary clinic and underwent emergency surgery but his injuries proved too severe and he had to be put down.

“We didn’t have any choice. We had to let him go.”

Nathan said the loss had devastated the family, who were still coming to terms with how quickly the attack had unfolded.

“It’s horrendous that it happened, it’s horrendous that we lost a dog that was so young.

“A dog’s part of the family and he was just a lovely, caring, gentle dog that just didn’t deserve any of that level of pain.”

His wife had particularly struggled with guilt in the days since witnessing the brutal attack, wondering if there was anything she could have done differently.

“‘I should have taken a picture of this guy, and I could have grabbed a stick, and I should have done this’,” Nathan said she had told herself.

“There’s no way in that moment there was anything she could do.”

Nathan said his own focus had shifted from grieving Rory to ensuring the dog responsible was found.

“Two days ago we were crying constantly. Now it’s almost like I’ve got a mission.

“We’ve got to be able to find who this person is because this dog has to get found,” he said. “It’s ruthless, it’s absolutely dangerous.”

The Palmerston North City Council is appealing for information after reviewing CCTV footage and checking the national dog database without identifying the owner.

Witnesses described the owner as a white male with dark hair, about 1.75m tall, of solid build and wearing a blue cap. The dog was described as a white pitbull or bully-type breed with a dark grey patch over its right eye.

Anyone with information about the dog or its owner is urged to contact the Palmerston North City Council Animal Control team.