Victoria police say actions of officer who fatally shot dog were justified

The Victoria Police Department (VicPD) has released a statement explaining the actions of an officer who fatally shot a dog early Monday morning.

The incident happened around 3:30 am as VicPD officers were conducting routine patrols in the 500 block of Ellice Street and spotted a man who had outstanding warrants for his arrest.

According to the statement, the dog emerged from a nearby tent as the officers were conducting the arrest, then “lunged aggressively” toward the one male officer.

“The officer moved away and was chased by the dog,” read the statement. “Fearing serious injury, he discharged his firearm, killing the dog.”

The VicPD later learned that the dog was at least six years old and designated as dangerous, and was involved in 11 other incidents since 2021. Two of them involved the dog injuring bylaw officers with bites.

It was required to be muzzled and leashed at all times in public places and common private property, with signage advised that a dangerous dog is present. None of these requirements were met Monday morning, the VicPD explained.

“It is also important to note that less lethal options such as OC spray or pepper spray are not always effective on dogs,” the release noted. “Given that the officer feared serious injury (grievous bodily harm), the threshold was met for lethal force.”

An officer with the Integrated Canine Service unit attended the scene and attempted to provide medical aid to the dog, but the animal succumbed to its injuries.

Police transported the dog to a local veterinary hospital where it was cremated, as per the owner’s wishes.

“We recognize the loss of a pet is devastating under any circumstance and that people may feel strongly about the outcome of this incident,” the statement said.

“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.”

The statement added: “The safety and security of the community and our officers is our priority, and we have full confidence in the decision made by the officer involved.”