The owner of a pitbull-boxer cross that attacked four high-school boys last week has been charged.

The man's three-year-old dog was immediately impounded following the attack in Tokoroa last Wednesday and was put down on Friday.

The 47-year-old owner has been charged with owning a dog that causes injury. The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison or a $20,000 fine.

The three-year-old dog was impounded and destroyed on Friday.

He was to appear in the Tokoroa District Court on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Dog owner under fire after teens attacked (graphic warning)

Police said the attack was a timely reminder to dog owners to be responsible for their animals.

GEORGE HEARD/FAIRFAX NZ Izaiah Parry shows the mark a dog left on him after he was attacked last week.

"You are responsible to ensure your enclosure is secure to prevent this type of incident happening again," Tokoroa Senior Sergeant Jason Henderson said.

The boys involved in the attack described it as scary.

"It was pretty freaky. I was sprinting, trying to save myself. I wasn't really thinking. I was kinda in shock, thinking, oh, sh-t, I just got mauled by a dog," Izaiah Parry, 16, said.

Will the new dog laws work? Share your stories, photos and videos. Contribute

"It felt like someone was punching me."

Izaiah and three of his friends were walking home about lunchtime on Wednesday from watersports in Tokoroa when they found two wandering dogs on the railway tracks, Izaiah said.

After taking them to the SPCA, they took a shortcut back to school through the gully on Kelso Street.

"This big brown dog climbed over and started chasing us. We sprinted down the gully ... we saw the dog come up to us and was acting all friendly. Then it ran at Shakur and started biting at his bag and jacket."

In a matter of seconds, Izaiah found himself running down the gully with the dog biting at his heels.

"I tried grabbing it by the collar, but it bit my arm - my arm went dead."

His mate Rangiora Marino grabbed the back legs of the dog while another of the boys took hold of the neck and they pulled the dog off.

Izaiah suffered puncture wounds to his ankles, leg and arm.

A nearby resident came to the group's aid and drove the 16 year old and his three friends to Tokoroa Hospital.

South Waikato District Council compliance officer Kerry Beckett said the dog was neither registered nor microchipped.