VicPD have released a statement following an incident that occurred in the Rock Bay area earlier this week.
During an arrest in Rock Bay in the early morning hours of Monday, June 17th, a VicPD officer shot and killed a dog.
Police say that the dog lunged at and chased an officer at around 3:30 a.m. outside a Victoria Cool Aid Society facility in the 500-block of Ellice Street, while arresting an individual for having outstanding warrants.
“While arresting the man, a dog emerged from a nearby tent and lunged aggressively towards a male officer,” said VicPD in a media release.
“The officer moved away and was chased by the dog. Fearing serious injury, he discharged his firearm, killing the dog.”
VicPD say that following the incident, officers learned the dog was at least 6-years-old, contrary to what witnesses told Chek News, saying the dog was a 1-year-old puppy.
Police added that the dog had been designated as dangerous, meaning it had been required to wear a muzzle and be leashed while outdoors.
According to VicPD, none of those requirements were met.
Victoria Animal Control confirmed with VicPD that since 2021, this dog in particular had 11 recorded incidents, two of which involved bylaw officers being bitten.
“These facts are contrary to recent media reports that the dog was shot by a female officer, was only one year old and was muzzled at the time of the incident,” reads the media release.
Chek News had spoken to witnesses who claimed to see the whole situation and said the dog was muzzled, shot three times by a female officer and was younger than VicPD says it was.
They added that lethal options such as pepper spray are not always effective on dogs and VicPD stands by the threshold being met for lethal force to be taken.
Police say the dog received medical aid from an officer with the Integrated Canine Service, but it succumbed to its injuries.
The dog was then taken to a veterinary clinic and cremated at the owner’s request.
“We recognize the loss of a pet is devastating under any circumstance and that people may feel strongly about the outcome of this incident,” said VicPD.
“This is not a decision any officer wants to make, or an outcome anyone would have wished for. However, it is also important to correct misinformation surrounding the incident.”
