A Nelson man wants compensation from Police after the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) shot and killed his beloved dog.
Officers say they were protecting a police dog and were at the property searching for a dangerous criminal, but Todd Douglas says they were at the wrong address.
He found his American bulldog named Mud lying dead in the backyard after he was shot by the AOS.
"He was loving life and he didn't deserve to go out this way," he told Newshub.
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Police say Mud was shot for safety reasons after he lunged at a police dog that was unharmed. The AOS was on the property searching for a violent offender who had access to firearms.
Mr Douglas, a father and tractor driver, says they got the wrong address.
"The only person that has rifles on my property is me, because I'm a licensed firearm owner," he said.
"There's no one else who's been here with firearms. I don't know anybody with firearms or anybody who is wanted by the police here."
He says he and his partner were taken off the property for three to four hours while the raid took place. Neither was charged with any crime, and police say they didn't locate the man they were looking for.
"I told them there are dogs on the property, and that we need to be there for them to guide them through this situation."
Mr Douglas says Mud and his other two dogs are friendly, but was worried they'd panic.
"It's an outside dog intruding on my property - the dog is just doing what it naturally does: looking after my property," he said.
"Why are you here on my property? You shouldn't be here."
He says police got the wrong address as his property sits within a group of houses - they're in close proximity but are separate dwellings.
Police declined a request for an interview, but told Newshub they had a search warrant for Mr Douglas' house and the neighbouring properties.
When asked if they had non-lethal options available to control the dog, they said officers always have a range of options but have to make quick decisions in dynamic situations.
They said it's rare for them to shoot an animal, and they don't take the decision to use a firearm lightly.
Mr Douglas says that's not good enough.
"You f**ked up, and you're on the wrong property, and for the person who pulled the trigger of the gun that killed the dog, I want his head on the chopping block.
"I also want the person who was in charge of this big balls-up of an operation sacked, and compensation for the dog and for the stress."
He hasn't received an apology from NZ Police, but they say he's entitled to lay a complaint.
Newshub.
