Shot dog stable

The police dog shot in the jaw in Northland is getting better every day and will hopefully be back to full service in the future, according to the vet treating him. The dog had ‘‘critical’’ injuries when it arrived at Dr Alastair Coomer’s vet clinic in Auckland on Tuesday. But Coomer said yesterday it had been ‘‘getting more stable every day’’. The signs were good that the dog would not only survive but could one day return to service alongside its handler, he said. ‘‘We are working to the expectation that it will recover and be able to go back to work.’’ So far the dog, which has yet to be named, has not been well enough to undergo surgery but will need to in coming days. Coomer said the handler had been by his dog’s side ‘‘around the clock’’ through much of the treatment. During the incident, a man was also shot three times by police in the rural settlement of Tangowahine. Superintendent Tony Hill said police chased the man into a paddock. He then turned and fired in the direction of the dog handler, hitting the dog. Police then returned fire, hitting the man three times.