Police canine injured in rogue dog attack

COLONIE — The dog shot by an off-duty Albany County sheriff’s deputy Thursday evening after it attacked the deputy’s police dog and another dog in Colonie is in “tough shape,” Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said Friday.

The incident happened around 7 p.m. when the deputy was working out with his K-9 partner, Apple said. The K-9 and an accompanying privately owned dog were attacked by an unregistered dog on Prince Court, he said.

The deputy fired his licensed private handgun to defend his dog, which was injured, Apple said. The attacking dog, Caesar, was hit by a bullet, suffering brain trauma. The deputy’s dog, Mo, needed stitches to close a wound to an ear. Apple said the dog also suffered a puncture to its paw.

Caesar, who deputies said was owned by a local man, was being cared for at Capital District Veterinary Referral Hospital on Route 2.

Mo’s handler, Deputy Joseph Martel, took the dog to Upstate Veterinary Specialties on Sparrowbush Road.

The third dog was not hurt, deputies said.