A man who attacked a K9 member of the Victoria Police Department (VicPD) is one of the first to be convicted of such a crime.
On July 6, 2016, an officer spotted drugs on a driver during a vehicle stop at an intersection in James Bay. The driver was known to the officer.
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| VicPD service dog Uno was attacked by two suspects when police tried to apprehend them in 2016. His attacker was one of the first in Victoria to be convicted for the attack under the Justice for Animals in Service Act. (Submitted/VicPD) |
When the suspect was about to be taken into custody, he suddenly assaulted the officer, got back into his car and began to drive away, partially dragging the officer, who was able to free himself and call for back-up.
Patrol and K9 officers arrived on the scene and began searching for the suspect, who was eventually located with a companion in the 400-block of Quebec Street.
When the suspect and his companion fought the officers, VicPD K9 service dog ‘Uno’ was released.
Uno was attacked by both subjects and struck several times in the head and face.
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Uno later recovered from his injuries and returned to work but the suspect who assaulted him was charged under the Justice for Animals in Service Act or ‘Quanto’s Law,’ which deem actions that cause harm, suffering or death of a service animal a criminal offense.
Quanto’s Law was named for fallen police dog Quanto, who was killed on the job in Edmonton after four years of service and more than 100 arrests under his belt.
“Quanto’s law helps protect our K9 partners, who so often put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public and us, their human partners,” said VicPD K9 Sgt. Calvin Ewer. “This conviction shows that harming a K9 has serious consequences.”
The man was convicted on charges of possession of a controlled substance with the purpose of trafficking, dangerous driving, obstruction of a police officer and the assaults on Uno. The subject’s companion plead guilty to similar charges.
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