West Midlands police release body cam after video shows officers tasing dog and dragging it in a bin
By: Police bodycam footage shows the moment an officer used a taser to tackle an out of control dog.
The animal was attacking another dog in the street, and the police officer is seen yelling at people to move before firing the taser and putting the animal into a wheelie bin.
The incident in Coventry, West Midlands, sparked outrage on social media and cops felt they had to release the bodycam footage to 'explain the context'.
After the dog was tasered it was seized by the police's Dangerous Dogs Unit, assessed by a vet and then housed in kennels, reports The Mirror.
Chief Inspector Daryl Lyon, who works for West Midlands Police in Coventry, said: "No officer wants to use force against an animal unless it is absolutely necessary and in this instance, we have had to do that to ensure that people at the scene were safe and that no further harm could come to anybody, including the animal itself.
“Despite speculation, the animal that was tasered by the police officers at the scene is safe and well and is being looked after in kennels.
"It was a dynamic incident where officers were concerned for the safety of an animal that was being attacked by another dog.
“As you can see from the video there are also children in the location, other members of the public and other police officers of which the animal posed a risk to.
“Public safety is of course our primary concern, and this video explains the actions of the officers and the very difficult circumstances they were placed in."
The owner of the dog is understood to be aware of the actions police have taken.
A man was arrested on suspicion of obstructing police and was interviewed on Wednesday, July 12.