POLICE are searching for the owners of a ‘crazed’ dog that attacked an American tourist out jogging at a popular northern NSW beach spot.

Maya Kidan, 29, was bitten by a german shepherd at about 2.30pm on Friday at New Brighton Beach, just north of Brunswick Heads.

The US national suffered several gashes and bruising to her upper right thigh, requiring medical treatment at Byron Bay Hospital.

Ms Kidan spoke to Brunswick Police on Sunday, alleging the dog owners, a couple aged in their 60s, left the scene after the attack without helping her or providing their details.

“One of the dogs went crazy and grabbed my butt on my right cheek and I was in complete shock,” Ms Kidan told the Northern Star.

“I was screaming, saying ‘take the dogs away’ and the woman sitting in the dunes didn’t do anything.

“The guy came out of the water and I said ‘your dog just bit me’, and he said ‘I’m sorry, I’ll take them away’.

“I said ‘are they healthy and vaccinated?’ and he said ‘you’ll be fine’ and took off through the bush.”

A passer-by took Ms Kidan to hospital where she was given antibiotics, vaccinations and pain killers for five gashes and two deep flesh punctures.

The wounds have been left to bleed out, to avoid an infection, leaving Ms Kiden bedridden over the weekend.

“I didn’t realise how bad the bite was, I was too scared to look,” Ms Kidan said.

“This could have happened to a little child.”

Tweed-Byron Chief Inspector Gary Cowan said police were investigating the incident.

“Anybody that has issues with restraining dogs or dog attacks, 100% needs to report that to the police,” he said.

In NSW, if a dog rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases a person, whether or not an injury is caused, the maximum fine is $11,000.

If that comes as a result of a ‘reckless act’, or an omission by the dog’s owner, two years’ imprisonment and a $22,000 fine is possible.

To contact Crime Stoppers phone 1800 333 000.