A man has been arrested after he allegedly assaulted a police dog and its handler in Christchurch on Thursday evening.
Police said in a statement a 38-year-old man was arrested and was due to appear in court on Friday.
"Thankfully, the dog handler and their dog are not seriously injured and are safely at home, recuperating with their whānau," said Supt John Price, Canterbury District Commander.
The alleged assault happened on Greers Rd at about 5:15pm after police received reports of a man behaving suspiciously and trying to get into cars passing by. The assault happened after the officer and his dog arrived and got out of the patrol car, before members of the public stopped and intervened.
"An enormous thank you to those who stood by our officer," Price said.
This reflects the true spirit and extensive support the public has for the police, he added.
"Stories like this reflect the challenging environment police work in and demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the safety of the community we protect," Price said.
The man was due to appear in Christchurch District Court on Friday on multiple charges, including resisting police and injuring a police dog.
