A police officer shot a dog after being bitten by it in Flémalle, just outside the Walloon city of Liège, the Liège Public Prosecutor reported on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at an equestrian centre on 19 June. According to the initial findings, the officer had gone to the site to deliver a document to the owner. While placing a copy of a hearing report in the letterbox, he was bitten by a loose Belgian Shepherd on the premises.
The officer reportedly tried to fend off the dog before using his service weapon to shoot at it. The dog, struck by the gunfire, was quickly taken to the emergency veterinary services at Liège University Hospital, where it underwent surgery. Its condition is no longer considered life-threatening.
The police officer also sustained injuries and has been declared unfit for work for four days.
The same dog had been the subject of at least six reports earlier in 2024 for roaming and being potentially dangerous, authorities revealed.
The investigation is ongoing.
