A man driving a stolen van is in custody and facing several charges after he allegedly attacked a Vancouver Police Dog while officers were trying to arrest him.
Shortly after 9:00 pm last night, police observed a stolen van being driven east on Hastings Street near Dunlevy Street. The van was followed to Victoria Drive where officers boxed it in and tried to arrest the driver.
The man behind the wheel refused to follow the directions of the officers and Police Service Dog “Shack” was deployed to help take the driver into custody.
When Shack made contact with the suspect, the suspect grabbed a pair of scissors and reportedly began stabbing at the police dog. Fearing for Shack’s safety, the handler jumped in to protect his dog.
With the help of other officers, the man was eventually taken into custody.
Shack was taken to the veterinary hospital and treated for minor wounds. Another police officer sustained cuts to her hand and what is believed to be a dislocated finger during the struggle.
A 31 year old Burnaby man, known to police, was treated for dog bites and taken to jail. He faces several criminal charges as well as charges for intending to harm a service animal.
