A SECURITY camera has captured the moment a WA police officer shot a dog dead in Perth’s northern suburbs earlier this week.

The footage shows the officer draw his gun on the dog as it approaches but the dog’s behaviour is not seemingly aggressive and it does not attack.

WA Police have launched an internal investigation into the incident.

Nine News reports the six-year-old staffie, Biggie, and another dog had gotten free from their owner’s Banksia Grove home on Monday and run to Callendar Park in Kinross.

Witnesses said the dogs were acting aggressively to young families but no one was attacked.

The dog’s owner Pat Wharram told Nine News police had initially lied to him, telling him Biggie had attacked the officer.

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On viewing the footage on Friday, Mr Wharram said it was “disgusting” and that his “best mate” of six years had been “gunned down for nothing”.

“The only thing I can picture biggie doing is a bark if he felt intimidated but he would never bite anyone,” he said.

“I’m just disgusted, police have told me lies over the phone.

“I got told he attacked the officer.

“I’ve just seen for my own eyes he didn’t even attempt to attack an officer.”

One witness said the dog looked “friendly” and didn’t seem aggressive.

He said the officer was shaken and visibly upset after the incident.

Rangers took the other dog in initially but have since returned it to Mr Wharram.

In a comprehensive statement issued to PerthNow on Friday, police said the dog had been acting aggressively to members of the public and its officers before it was shot.

A fundraising page which has been set up on behalf of the dog’s owners also claims police have not been open about the incident.

But police said it would “be keeping the dog’s owner fully appraised of the progress of the review and outcomes” into the shooting.

Camera Icon Biggie the staffie Credit: Supplied

In its statement, police said that a woman with her baby was being threatened by two dogs, including Biggie.

“The woman was able to call her husband for assistance and he was also subject to aggressive behaviour by the dogs,” police said.

“Police attended the area … the dogs acted aggressively towards officers and also attempted to attack another dog.

“Fearing that the officers were about to be attacked an officer discharged his firearm at the dog causing its death.

“Any incident when a firearm is discharged by a police officer is treated as serious and will be subject to review.

“Many members of the public witnessed the events and have provided statements to police which will form part of the review into the incident.”

Mr Wharram is reportedly planning to take legal action against WA Police.