A witness to the shooting has lodged a complaint with the SPCA. Photo / File
Police are looking into claims that an officer took five shots to kill a distressed sheep in an allegedly botched mercy killing.
The SPCA received a call from a member of the public about a ram with a suspected broken leg near Hanmer Springs, North Canterbury on December 30.
Hurunui
District Council was also called before local police went to the scene.
A man who claims to have witnessed the scene told the Herald that the officer shot the animal five times with his rifle before it died.
"It was not a merciful killing but more like target practice," the man said.
