Dog left bleeding after scooter drag

A Christchurch invalid is facing animal cruelty charges after allegedly being caught dragging a dog behind him on his mobility scooter until the animal's paws bled.

The man, believed to be in his mid-50s, was stopped by concerned New Brighton residents on Monday morning after they heard the dog, who was chained around the neck and padlocked to the scooter, gagging as it struggled to keep up with the fast-moving scooter.

"The animal was stressed, panting heavily, with bleeding paws," said a witness who, along with another couple, chased the driver of the scooter down the road in her car until he was forced the stop.

Despite their pleas, the man refused to unchain the dog. The witness said they then called the police.

Blood stained the footpath where the dog had been dragged along by the scooter and his "toenails were down to the wick".

SPCA Christchurch centre manager Geoff Sutton said the dog was in a lot of pain.

"Many of his claws had been worn down below the quick. The pads on his paws were worn down as well and he had lost skin on his limbs."

Sutton said the dog had received emergency veterinary care, including pain relief, and was being kept at the SPCA until the case had worked its way through the courts. Whether the dog was rehoused or returned to its owner would depend on the outcome of the case.

Sutton said the SPCA had planned to prosecute the owner of the dog but backed off after it became clear the police, who had also responded to the incident, intended to lay charges.

"All cases [of animal cruelty] are serious . . . but in our view this is at the higher level of offending," he said.

The owner of the dog is due to appear in court on Tuesday.

- © Fairfax NZ News