Grizz, the security dog killed at Auckland Airport this morning, goes global

People around the world are paying tribute to the Auckland Airport security dog fatally shot by police after the incident attracted international media attention.

Staff spent more than three hours trying to catch Grizz, a 10-month-old bearded collie/German short-haired pointer cross, after he was spooked and escaped from his handler early this morning.

Police were called in and staff told them to shoot Grizz, a police spokesperson said.

Local media reported on the incident and New Zealanders took to social media to express their shock and disgust at the actions of authorities.

One woman wrote on Auckland Airport's Facebook page that they should "hang your heads in shame" and their decision to shoot Grizz had "shocked the world".

"Animals rights are important. It's a life you have extinguished. The cost to delaying your plane may have also been important in terms of dollars but the fallout from this incident will be big as social media will spread the word like wildfire and the majority of people will be outraged."

BBC News, The Guardian, the Daily Mail and Buzz Feed have now all published stories about the incident on their websites.

Runaway police dog blamed for "delaying flights", shot at Auckland airport. https://t.co/Luf4Iy19gw pic.twitter.com/X89h2xy52H

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 17, 2017

news.com.au journalist Frank Chung paid tribute to Grizz on Twitter.

RIP Grizz, the Aviation Security dog shot at @AKL_Airport this morning https://t.co/OX7bZ3siua pic.twitter.com/8On40vmY6f

— Frank Chung (@franks_chung) March 16, 2017

A source said police staff and Grizz's handler are "absolutely devastated".

Avsec spokesman Mike Richards said: "All efforts to capture the dog were exhausted and the airport company had no option but to request police to shoot the dog."

"The handler and Avsec are naturally upset but do understand there were no other options, in the very difficult circumstances.

ational animal rights organisation Safe declared the shooting of Grizz as "needless".

"Safe is appalled about the needless killing of this dog," said spokesman Hans Kriek.

"A tranquilliser gun should have been used after efforts to catch the dog failed.

"If such a gun was not available - which it should - then they could have borrowed one from Auckland Zoo or elsewhere.

"We hope that lessons will be learned from this and that better systems will be put in place to avoid such unnecessary killing in the future."