Dog electrically shocked walking in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood

An upsetting incident that saw a dog suffer an electric shock in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood this week is being blamed on a short circuit in underground wiring.

Pictures shared on social media show the dog, whose name is Titan, low to the ground and covered with a blanket after being shocked near Cordova and Columbia streets on Tuesday.

The city's electrical branch said the dog came into contact with the metal cover for an underground junction box, which houses wires that provide power to lights.

"There was a short circuit in the wiring. As a result, the metal lid of the junction box and the pole got energized," the City of Vancouver said in a statement.

One Twitter user said they watched the incident unfold from their office, describing it as "truly horrific."

The dog survived the shock, however, and witnesses said a work crew had arrived and fixed the problem within an hour.

"We're happy to hear that Titan the dog is OK," the city wrote. "Occurrences like this are rare but have happened here and in other cities across North America due to aging infrastructure."