SPCA Staff Shocked After the Brutal Death of a Loving Dog

Chris Purcell’s companion was found dead just 100 meters from his home in Christchurch after an incident left SPCA staff shocked and depressed.

Early on Monday, a 6-year-old friendly white border collie or mastiff, named Polar, did not normally walk but saw a gap in the fence of Purcell’s Aranui property, where a tree had been removed.

Purcell did not realize his partner, who went to every site he worked on, was missing until he saw a Facebook post showing a dead white dog with a Space Invaders collar had been found.

By the time Purcell stepped from his home on Pages Road to Breezes Road, SPCA staff had pulled the microchip from the dog. After thirty minutes, he gets a call from the officer with the news of Polar’s death.

Purcell was not able to understand why somebody would harm Polar and was angry that he passed from such brutality.

“All my neighbors love him,” he stated through tears. “He watches everyone going past the house, and all he ever wants is a pat. He was a beautiful-natured dog.”

Polar’s mate and his second dog, Carley, 7, was even struggling with losing her companion. She wouldn’t consume her food and huddled close to Purcell unless he took her around.

“She’s quiet,” he stated.

Purcell was organizing cremation for the polar, but stated he could not see his body and couldn’t bring himself to do so due to the way he was attacked.
He intended to take Polar’s ashes to the beach with friends before spreading them at a remote hut in the bush.

But for now, he wanted answers about why a person would kill an animal so cruelly.
“I mean, he wouldn’t have even barked at anyone.”
SPCA’s team leader Sam Cairns stated they received a “disturbing call” about a much-loved pet named Polar being found dead in a car park roughly 50m off Breezes Rd in Aranui.

Cairns stated the autopsy disclosed the dog had a traumatic injury from a sharp thing that stabbed his stomach and caused him to die from severe blood loss.

“Our thoughts go out to Polar’s family, who are understandably devastated to lose their boy.”
Cairns stated SPCA staff were shocked and depressed by the event and were gathering information from everyone if someone saw anything suspicious on Monday.