Police dog escapes kennel, bites man

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque police are looking into how one of their canines escaped its kennel and bit a man Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators say around 3 p.m. the German Shepard Mix that lives at the home of his handler and fellow APD officer, escaped its kennel, and was roaming around the Ventana Ranch neighborhood.

A man who lives in that area was working in his garage and spotted the dog and thought he looked hot, so he put out some water for the dog.

“It was panting profusely so I got it some water and it didn't show any kind of aggressiveness towards me but as soon as my father-in-law drove up, it went after him,” said the man who asked to not be identified.

The man says he and a neighbor managed to pull the dog off his father in law before the dog took off. Police say the man attacked suffered minor injuries to his arm.

The dog was later found by another APD officer.

Investigators are looking into how that dog escaped its kennel and also why it attacked the man.

They say the dog will remain with his handler for now and emphasize that this sort of situation is very rare as these dogs undergo so much training.

APD has also asked Animal Control to conduct a separate investigation.