CALGARY – Police say an officer was attacked by a dog during a routine traffic stop in the city’s northeast on Monday, but the dog’s owner is defending her pet.
Police pulled over an SUV in the 1400 block of 52nd Street N.E., around 8 p.m.
A female officer became suspicious of the people inside the vehicle when she says she smelled marijuana.
The officer called for backup, and a male officer arrived on scene shortly after.
The female officer asked one of the passengers about the three dogs inside the vehicle, and was assured that they would be fine and would not bother officers while a search was conducted.
However, police say that at one point one of the dogs jumped out of the vehicle and lunged at the male officer, biting him in the stomach.
He shot the dog in the head, and it ran away.
The officer was wearing a protective vest and didn’t suffer any injuries.
The dog was captured nearby a short while later and rushed to a veterinarian clinic. The extent of its injuries is unknown, although the owner says it is expected to live.
The man and woman involved in the incident have not been charged.
They were able to pick up their other two dogs from Animal & Bylaw Services Tuesday morning.
The dog’s owner is unhappy about how police handled the situation, and suggests they should have waited for help.
Investigators are working to secure a warrant to search the vehicle, and the major crimes section is now investigating, as is standard procedure when an officer fires their weapon.
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