The SPCA and a Christchurch man are pleading for help after a dog was stabbed to death in a public carpark in a "disturbing" attack.
SPCA Canterbury said on Facebook they received a "disturbing call" on Tuesday morning when a dog was found dead in a carpark off Breezes Road in Aranui.
The "much-loved pet" named Polar was a large male crossbreed dog.
Polar's owner Chris Purcell woke to a message reporting a white dog was found dead around the corner from his home.
Purcell checked his home and discovered a hole in the fence indicating Polar had escaped.
He told NZ Herald by the time he got to the scene the SPCA had already collected the dog.
"I got a call later in the morning, around half-nine, saying it was Polar," Purcell said.
"The SPCA did x-rays and found he had no broken bones, so they wanted to do an autopsy to work out what happened."
SPCA Canterbury said the post-mortem revealed Polar suffered a "traumatic injury" from a sharp object, approximately 20mm wide and at least 10cm long, that penetrated his abdomen and caused him to die from blood loss.
Purcell said the attack occurred at the quiet end of the public road where parents drop their kids off for school in the morning.
"He wouldn't have barked, he's a good boy - he would go up to anyone for a pat," Purcell told NZ Herald.
"I believe it was a random attack, the SPCA went down the track that it might have been a kid on the way to school - but nobody knows."
SPCA Canterbury said they're "utterly shocked and saddened" by the stabbing and their thoughts go out to Polar's family who is "understandably devastated to lose their boy".
The SPCA said they wanted to thank members of the public for information that has already been sent in.
"While we investigate and verify information received, we also ask that any residents who live near Breezes and Pages Roads who have CCTV on their properties, check their cameras between the times of 5:30am and 7:30am on Tuesday morning," SPCA inspector Sam Cairns told Newshub
"This will assist us with piecing together Polar's movements and any suspicious activity. Some residents have already sent us footage that shows Polar walking down the road, but we'd be grateful for anything further. If you have any information, please email Inspector Haylie Tewnion, Haylie.tewnion@spca.nz."
The owner said Polar's death is a "kick in the guts" and not knowing how he died is making it hard to process.
"I just want justice, I want this person outed in the community," he said.
"New Zealand is chewing through crap at the moment and then stuff like this happens, it's such a violent country now. Aranui has definitely gone downhill, it doesn't feel like a safe community anymore."
