Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Police dog Gus could be back on beat in a month

By Kristin Edge
Northern Advocate·
8 Oct, 2013 04:01 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

AOS police dog Gus shows off his war wounds. PICTURE/Michael Cunningham

AOS police dog Gus shows off his war wounds. PICTURE/Michael Cunningham

The Northland police dog who was stabbed in the lung during the arrest of a man in dense bush could be back on the beat within a month.

Whangarei police Constable and dog handler Pete Kinane said his best mate police dog Gus was making a speedy recovery and if the canine crime fighter passed some fitness tests they could be back pounding the beat in four weeks.

During a press conference at the Whangarei police station today Gus obediently sat on table, keeping a close eye on his boss and suddenly becoming very interested at the sound of nearby police sirens.

"He's bounced back real well. The stab wound went between the tricep muscle, through the chest into the lung. It doesn't get a lot worse'" Mr Kinane said.

The only clue to the horrific and life threatening injury Gus sustained last Thursday was a large section do shaved hair on his left side.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The stab wound on his shoulder was visible, but healing cleanly.

Mr Kinane said the stitches would come out in in 10 to 14 days and after a vet visit and clearance he would be back on the job.

He was very grateful to everyone who had helped ensure Gus survived and the massive amount of public support.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"In this job you don't deal with nice people so to get nice messages from the public is humbling. It's the motivation we need to get back on there every day and do our job."

The drama began when police were alerted to a 37-year-old man believed to have been carrying a knife and a firearm at his Parakao home, 40km west of Whangarei, about 4pm last Wednesday.

Members of the Northland Armed Offenders Squad, along with detectives and frontline officers, went to the property.

The man was reported to have been in an agitated state and while officers were placing cordons around the man's property, the man had allegedly stolen a quad bike from another property and rode off.

Discover more

New Zealand

Police dog Gus back on beat

20 Nov 05:26 AM

Police had chased the man, who had abandoned the bike on farmland and run off. AOS members and the police dog handler and Gus had started tracking the man through thick bush and the man was found about 4am. He had allegedly stabbed Gus and tried to stab the dog handler.

After a struggle police had arrested him.

Mr Kinane and a fellow officer got Gus out of the bush. They were then rushed to Mill Rd Vet Clinic in Whangarei where Gus was stabilised before being flown by police helicopter to Veterinary Specialist Group in Auckland. A team were on standby and were able to start their treatment of Gus immediately.

Head of the Northland police dog unit Sergeant Phil Kahotea said it was touch and go as to whether Gus would make it but thanks to the team work from everyone involved the canine duo would be back in action.

He said Gus was a very special dog and as well as tracking offenders was there to protect his handler as well.

Northland AOS commander Inspector Dean Robinson, who was at the incident, said if everything hadn't have coordinated the way it did Gus may not have survived.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Following a special hearing in Whangarei Hospital last Thursday a 37-year-old man was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, attempting to kill a police dog, unlawfully taking a vehicle and assault with a weapon. The man was remanded in custody for a psychiatric report and will appear in the Whangarei District Court on October 14.

The charge of killing or injuring a police dog is punishable by a maximum of two years' jail and/or a $15,000 fine.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Court backs sacking of Northland doctor who sent 'flirty texts' to junior

06 Jul 09:13 PM
Northern Advocate

Far North Mayor calls on New Zealanders to vote for Māori wards in October

06 Jul 08:12 PM
Northern Advocate

‘Flying’ through the air: Grandfather's call for safer crossings after crash

06 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Court backs sacking of Northland doctor who sent 'flirty texts' to junior

Court backs sacking of Northland doctor who sent 'flirty texts' to junior

06 Jul 09:13 PM

The sexual harassment investigation led to the doctor taking 10 months' stress leave.

Far North Mayor calls on New Zealanders to vote for Māori wards in October

Far North Mayor calls on New Zealanders to vote for Māori wards in October

06 Jul 08:12 PM
‘Flying’ through the air: Grandfather's call for safer crossings after crash

‘Flying’ through the air: Grandfather's call for safer crossings after crash

06 Jul 05:00 PM
'Serious-to-critical': Crash shuts SH1 in Northland, delays expected

'Serious-to-critical': Crash shuts SH1 in Northland, delays expected

06 Jul 08:48 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP