Calgary police dog stabbed during arrest
CALGARY — A youth accused of stabbing a Calgary police dog during an arrest faces charges under a new section of the Criminal Code that protects law enforcement animals.
Acting Staff Sgt. James Lines said the dog — named Jester — was stabbed multiple times in the head while trying to catch the youth outside a Calgary school where officers were responding to a break-and-enter early Sunday.
Officers arrested another youth and both face charges connected with the break-in.
Jester was rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital with injuries described as life-threatening, but Lines said later in the day that the dog had been upgraded to stable and was walking.
The youth suffered minor bites from the dog, Lines told reporters, but he didn’t have details about those injuries or if the youth was treated in hospital.
“The offender that stabbed the police service dog is going to be charged under the new section of the Criminal Code, Section 445, which deals with injuring a police animal in the execution of its duties,” Lines said.
The Justice for Animals in Service Act, known as Quanto’s Law, came into force in 2015, named after Edmonton police dog Quanto, who was killed in the line of duty in 2013.
Jester has been a canine officer for five years, police said.