Whakatāne District Council Animal Control staff are urgently seeking information that could help to track down a dog responsible for a "vicious and unprovoked" attack on a man walking in the Rose Garden area adjacent to the Warren Cole Walkway.

Council Community Regulation Manager Graeme Lewer says the dog involved needs to be identified and impounded as quickly as possible to prevent possible future attacks.

The attack occurred at about 4.00pm on Thursday afternoon (26 October) when a man walking his dog took it down to the stream area for a drink," Mr Lewer says. "They came across the dog – a dark-brown pitbull terrier or sharpei-type breed, covered in mange – which lunged at the man and inflicted serious injuries which required him to be hospitalised.

"The dog ran off in the direction of the skate park and there was no sign of it when the Dog Ranger responded to the call-out. It's imperative that we track this animal down, so if anyone knows of a dog matching that description, we'd like to hear from them urgently."

He says personal details of callers will be kept strictly confidential. "If this attack had involved a child, it could have been even more serious. We're asking the public to help us keep our streets and parks safe by getting this vicious dog out of the community. If you know of its whereabouts, ring 306 0500 and ask for the Animal Control team now."