Oscar the shitzu poodle was killed yesterday after being attacked by another dog.

An Auckland family, including children, watched in terror as their dog was killed in a "frenzied attack".

Massey resident Natalie O'Kane and her two daughters were walking their five-year-old dog Oscar, when the incident happened on Tuesday morning.

O'Kane said the family had just come around the corner of Waimumu Rd and Don Buck Rd in Massey about 11am, when a "brown, pitbull-looking dog" ran across the road and "latched on" to Oscar "unprovoked".

"He just grabbed Oscar around his body and just latched on and shook him - the dog wouldn't let him go," O'Kane said.

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"His jaws were just locked on Oscar and it took Animal Control to get the dog off and into the van."

SUPPLIED Oscar was on a walk with his owner when a dog ran from across the road and attacked him.

People on the road stopped to help, with one woman holding onto O'Kane's daughter and others trying to get the dog off Oscar, she said.

The dog, who O'Kane described as brown and "heavily muscled", did not have a collar or tags, and had come from an unfenced property, she said.

"Oscar didn't have a chance."​

O'Kane said it was a terrifying thought dogs like that were in the area and more needed to be done to keep them under control.

"People should be able to feel safe walking in their neighbourhoods."

O'Kane thanked those who stopped to help her and her family.

"These were were just random people that stopped and it was just a dangerous thing to do."

The family cremated Oscar on Wednesday and were still traumatised and sad over what had happened, she said.

Oscar - who the O'Kanes considered a family member - was gentle, cheeky and had a strong bond with her daughters, she said.

Auckland Council's animal management manager Sarah Anderson said two officers attended the incident when the call came through.

When the pair arrived, the attack was still in process, she said.

"The officers secured the attacking dog, and rushed the victim dog to the nearest vet.

"Unfortunately the wounds were too severe and the victim dog did not survive," Anderson said.

"The attacking dog has been impounded.

"We cannot provide any further comments until the investigation is complete."