Zero bounces back to frontline duty
When Invercargill police dog handler Constable Adam Thomas saw his dog Zero go limp, after he was crushed by a car door, he thought he was watching his dog dying.
Zero was pinned by a car door on Friday night after a police pursuit came to a halt on Dee St near the roundabout intersection with Tay St in the city.
However, less than a week after the incident, Zero is his normal self and back on duty.
On Friday, police received reports at 11.30pm of erratic driving on Bluff Highway towards Invercargill. They tried to stop the car but the driver carried on.
Police put spikes out but the driver continued on for a short time before the car came to a stop on Dee St, just past the Trooper’s Memorial.
Thomas said by the time the car stopped, it was down tot he rims of the wheels.
Concerned the driver might try to take off again, Thomas opened the driver’s door and set Zero on the driver.
‘‘Once Zero was biting his arm, he’s [the driver] just accelerated into another car.’’
The driver’s side of the car was pushed up against the other car, trapping an officer between the two vehicles and pushing the driver’s door forced closed with Zero half out of the car, Thomas said.
After about 30 seconds, Thomas said he saw his dog lose consciousness.
‘‘I couldn’t get him out of the car. I was trying to get him loose and doing all I could to move the car myself and it just wasn’t budging.’’
At the same time, Thomas was trying to reassure his colleague who was also pinned by the car.
‘‘At that point, I thought he [Zero] was dead, to be honest.’’
Another 30 seconds later, they were able to move the car and Zero slumped onto the ground, Thomas said.
‘‘By the time we get to the vets he’s bloody running around like nothing’s happened.’’
Apart from a bit of bruising the police dog was okay.
Thomas says the stab-resistant vest Zero was wearing saved him from serious injury.