By ELEANOR BLACK
A Gisborne police dog which lost an eye in a stabbing may also lose the senses of smell and taste.
Woolf, a 3 1/2-year-old German shepherd, was taken to Massey University's veterinary teaching hospital yesterday for further surgery after his left eye was removed on Sunday.
His head had swollen overnight and there were fears the 20cm knife which severed the optic nerve of his left eye and cut his soft palate might have also damaged his nasal passage.
Without a sense of smell, Woolf would be forced to retire, said Inspector Bruce Blayney. With only one eye, there was still a chance he could be rehabilitated and go back on the beat.
Woolf was with his handler, Constable Bill Eivers, when he was stabbed on Saturday after cornering a 32-year-old man in an alley.
Police allege the man had illegally entered Gisborne's Apostolic Son City Church.
Service dog specialist Vicki Erceg said that although Woolf was in pain and infection was still a big concern, he had been sniffing around on arrival at the veterinary hospital last night, which was a good sign.
The man charged with maiming Woolf, assault, possessing a knife, being found without reasonable excuse in a building, and breaching bail appeared in the Gisborne District Court yesterday but entered no plea.
He was remanded in custody to reappear today.
Police dog could lose smell
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