Abandoned Dog Tied To A Telegraph Pole Shot By Police
24 January 2018, 09:39 | Updated: 24 January 2018, 09:40
An elderly, abandoned dog which was found tied to a telegraph pole in the cold has been shot dead by police
Cleveland Police launched an appeal to find the owner of the German Shepherd, which officers described as "increasingly aggressive as time went on", after it was discovered in Hartlepool over the weekend.
A spokesperson for the force said: "All attempts to calm the dog failed. Vets advised that they were unable to sedate the dog due to not being able to approach it and not having equipment to sedate from a distance.
"Unfortunately, veterinary professionals advised that the dog could not be re-homed due to its aggressive behaviour."
A spokesman for the RSPCA told The Independent: “This was a difficult and distressing police-led incident with an outcome which no one wanted. We attended to help the police and dog warden and sought independent vet advice to try and find a non-lethal solution.
“The dog had been seen by someone from another charity and there was concern that if the dog escaped she could have hurt someone. The police informed us that using a tranquilliser dart on the dog was not an option.
“The RSPCA believes that abandoning any dog is totally unacceptable and in this case had tragic consequences."
