The police dog who was stabbed after chasing down a robbery suspect on Friday has now been released from hospital and back into the care of his owner.  

Eight-year-old dog ‘Teak’ was on duty when he was slashed with a knife after pinning down a suspect in a chase. The dog, seriously injured, was immediately brought to hospital for surgery.  

The wound was deep, about 10 inches long and in a very dangerous location, said veterinarian Alan Kuzma, who operated on Teak.

“The position of the wound was on the side of his neck, but had it been on the front of his neck it would have easily killed him,” said Kuzma.

It took 30 stitches to close the wound, but Kuzma expects a full recovery for the dog with the help of antibiotics. As for the shaved fur around the dog’s neck, he said it will take three to four months to grow back.  

Owner Const. Derrick Gibson said he’ll now be taking Teak home for an early retirement, after a sleepless and worrisome weekend.

“He's my partner, I spend more time with him than I do with my family, I'm with him 24/7,” said Gibson. “When this happened, it’s like happening to a very close family member.”

The suspect involved in the incident has now been charged with multiple offences, including harming a police dog.

With files by CTV British Columbia’s Shannon Paterson