"Due to his disbility Oliver could not vocalise his suffering during the attack so he sustained a long prolonged ordeal which was only alerted by the dogs barking." [sic]

"He is a sweet kind young man who would never hurt a soul and this attack will severely impact his life both emotionally and physically."

He often went for walks "as these walks are his joy in life", she said.

The attack happened on a road parallel to the main street, behind several businesses and houses.

Southland District Council environmental services general manager Bruce Halligan said the dogs  were impounded at a council facility.

Animal control staff were investigating the matter with urgency and the council should be in a position to decide what would happen to the dogs and whether any charges would be laid, he said.

"We are taking this matter very seriously and our sympathies go out to the victim."

Halligan did not know whether there had been previous complaints about the animals but said that, as part of their investigation, the animal control team would look into any past complaints about the dogs.

On Sunday night, a police spokesman said the dogs' owners were upset.

A neighbour who lives next to the owners' property said he became aware of the attack after he heard a lot of barking.

When he looked out of his window, he saw the dogs barking at Beaumont moments before they attacked him.

After taking two photos of the attack, he called the police.

The neighbour said Beaumont moved down the road to a vacant section, where the dogs continued to attack him.

One had taken a hold of his leg and the other attacked his head, the neighbour said.

The owner arrived soon after the attack started and tried to call his dogs off but they did not listen, he said.

The man did not try to pull the dogs off, the neighbour said.

At least three armed officers arrived at the scene.

The neighbour said he often saw the victim walking along the track.

Stuff