Neighbours used poles to fend off and pull free a boy who was being attacked by multiple dogs in Gisborne yesterday.
Emergency services were called to a property on Emily street about 1pm, and the boy was taken to Gisborne hospital with serious injuries.
Gisborne's deputy mayor Rehette Stoltz said she understood the child was visiting the house with their aunty.
She said four dogs were taken by animal control officers from the property following the attack.
"Three of these dogs are registered dogs with them, so it's not unknown dogs or roaming dogs at all.
"One dogs they're still confirming. So all of four dogs were taken away and three of these dogs will be destroyed on Monday by a vet.
Ms Stoltz said they were investigating whether the fourth dog took part in the attack.
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she heard a child screaming and dog's barking yesterday afternoon, but she didn't know who the child was.
She said about four or five pig hunting dogs belong to a man who lives at the house, and the child's face was badly bitten during the attack and the mother was distraught.
A spokesperson from Gisborne hospital said the boy was in a stable condition on Saturday.
