A 39-year-old suspected thief is facing multiple charges including assaulting a peace officer after fighting with a police dog early Friday morning.
Vancouver police received a report at 3 a.m. of a man smashing car windows in the 2800-block of Quebec Street. A K-9 officer and his partner, Blade, were the first to respond.
"The officer stealthily hid and kept an eye on the suspect, watching him break into a couple cars," Const. Lindsey Houghton told ctvbc.ca.
"Something spooked him, possibly a police siren, and he began running away in the direction of the officer."
Blade was deployed to take him into custody, but the suspect did not go quietly.
Houghton said the man "repeatedly kicked, punched and choked" the dog in an attempt to escape as the K-9 officer struggled to place him in handcuffs.
Cover officers arrived shortly after and helped bring him into custody. The Surrey, B.C. resident was taken to hospital to be treated for dog bites. He faces charges of theft under $5,000, mischief, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and assaulting a peace officer.
"A police dog is a peace officer," Houghton said, adding that "the penalties for assaulting a peace officer tend to carry a bit more weight."
Blade was checked by his handler, but did not suffer any serious injuries. He will return to work Friday night, Houghton said.
