Police shoot sniffer dog at airport

POLICE shot and killed a tenmonth-old security dog at Auckland airport after it escaped and ran loose for more than three hours, disrupting at least 16 flights.

The Border Collie-German Pointer cross, named Grizz, was six months away from completing training to detect explosives when it ran away from its handler. New Zealanders reacted with outrage that the dog was not captured or tranquillised.

Police Inspector Tracy Phillips said in a statement that the shooting was a last resort. ‘This is not an outcome which anyone wanted,’ she added.