Photo: Chris Lynch (Police tape around the units involved)
A neighbour of a Christchurch motel where a dog was shot dead by police has described what she saw.
Armed police were called to the Ferry Motel on Ferry Road just after 2 pm following reports that someone had slashed another person’s car tyre with a knife.
Police said during the arrest of a man at the address, a dog came from inside and attacked a police dog.
A neighbour watched the incident unfold and told Chris Lynch “two officers and dog came to arrest the guy”
“They brought him out of the unit and next thing, another dog came out of another unit.”
The dog went straight for the police dog.
Photo: Robin McArthur
She said the owner and policeman tried to get them apart for “quite some time.”
“There was a lot of yelling and screaming and another resident tried using a hose to subdue the two dogs. I’m sure I heard several pops at different times.”
“It became shocking when the other dog got involved, I was feeling for the police officer who was handling the dog.”
The neighbour said there has been “quite a lot of drama” (at the motel) even since they moved in a year ago.
Superintendent Lane Todd, Christchurch Metro Area Commander said police attempted to use spray and a Taser to subdue the dog, but these were unsuccessful, and the dog was shot by police.
It was immediately taken to a local vet for treatment but died.
The police dog was checked by a vet and its injuries are not life-threatening.
