SHAKEN TO DEATH: Jo Hutchby’s 5-year-old chihuahua, Harrison, was killed by another dog during a chance visit to Rolleston’s Foster Dog Park on Saturday.

A Timaru woman is devastated her beloved dog was killed by another at a Canterbury dog park.

Jo Hutchby's five-year-old chihuahua, Harrison, was killed at Rolleston's Foster Dog Park on Saturday afternoon.

She had just spent the weekend in Christchurch with family and was on her way home to Timaru when they decided to have lunch in Rolleston.

Hutchby's sister, Susan Mahalli, said they had just sat down at a picnic table when another dog, believed to be a brown german shorthaired pointer, came up to Harrison.

Hutchby went to pick Harrison up, but the other dog suddenly lunged at the chihuahua and began shaking him.

"It was very unpleasant to see; it's very frightening."

Hutchby managed to remove Harrison from the other dog's jaws, but he was limp.

The dog's owner disappeared "pretty quickly" while another person at the park rushed Harrison to the nearby Selwyn Veterinary Centre, but he died before they arrived.

The sisters did not want to go on a "witch hunt" for the owner, but wanted to know that he cared and wanted him to know Harrison had died, Mahalli said.

Hutchby said she hoped some good could come out of Harrison's death by making sure other dog owners were more aware of what could happen.

"He was such a kind gentle wee dog with some hilarious habits that made us laugh. We used to call him 'our little weirdo'.

"He would insist on being chased to bed at night. By 9.30 he would wait at the hall door - the crosser I sounded when I said 'go to bed' the more excited he got. He tried to make that game last as long as possible."

Selwyn District Council senior animal control officer Steve Clarke said it was the first fatal dog attack reported at the "very popular" park that he knew of.

"We really need somebody to come forward, especially people who saw it or the person [who owned the offending dog]. They might not know the dog had died."

Dog owners needed to have their animals under effective control at all times, even if they were off the lead and at a dog park, he said.

"My role is to make sure it doesn't happen again. There's certain measures we can take; it doesn't necessarily mean the dog has to be euthanised."

The dog's owner was described as tall and balding and was wearing a hat, blue shirt and green shorts. He was believed to have left the park in a white ute.

Anyone with information on Saturday's incident is asked to contact the Selwyn District Council's animal control team by calling 03 347 2800.