Melissa Tuapawa sentenced to community detention after dog attack on girl

What happened

Melissa Tuapawa appeared for sentencing in Wellington District Court this week following an attack by her dog Thanos on a young girl on January 31. The girl suffered serious injuries to her lip and cheek requiring three hours of surgery and five days in hospital. The attack occurred just a day after Thanos had been released from the Porirua pound following a previous attack on an 18-year-old on January 21. Although Thanos had been classified as dangerous after the first attack, he was returned to Tuapawa with conditions including a requirement to be muzzled and on a lead. When the girl was playing fetch with Thanos in a garage, he was neither muzzled nor on a lead, as required. The girl continues to suffer psychological harm including nightmares and distress over facial scarring. Judge Jan Kelly adopted a starting point of 12 months' imprisonment but reduced the sentence to seven and a half months, then converted it to six months' community detention with a nightly curfew, served alongside intensive supervision. Tuapawa, who has pleaded guilty and written a letter of apology, is approaching seven months free of methamphetamine and has moved from homelessness to her own flat while studying towards a certificate in health and wellbeing.

Why it matters

This sentencing follows a series of dog attack incidents across New Zealand recorded since late August, including stray dogs killing a pet cat in Hastings and multiple attacks on people in Ōpōtiki, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The case illustrates the consequences of breached dog control conditions; a government review of the Dog Control Act went to consultation in late August, and Auckland's dog attacks only recently fell for the first time in six years, though children remain identified as at-risk.

Follow the whole thread: Hastings roaming dog laws

Key facts

• First attack: January 21, 2026, Wellington; second attack: January 31, 2026
• Girl spent three hours in surgery and five days in hospital
• Starting sentence: 12 months; final sentence: six months' community detention with nightly curfew
• Dog Thanos was classified dangerous but returned to owner without prior aggression history

Primary source: Wellington District Court sentencing hearing

Covered byNZ HeraldOtago Daily TimesNot covered byRNZStuff1NewsNewstalk ZBNewsroomThe SpinoffBusinessDeskinterest.co.nz

Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.

What outlets are saying