A police force is being investigated by a watchdog after receiving thousands of complaints for deliberately running over a dog that was loose on a dual carriageway.
North Wales Police has referred itself to the IPCC after animal rights groups claimed it was a "tragic incident" that could have been avoided.
The force has acknowledged "the level of public concern" following the incident in the early hours of Monday morning, and said it will also liaise with RSPCA Wales "to ensure we examine options available to officers" confronted by a similar situation in the future.
Two traffic officers who killed the canine were dog owners themselves, but had made the "difficult judgement" to destroy the animal over concerns it could have caused an accident.
The dog's owner was "devastated" by his dog's death but supported the decision, according to Chief Superintendent Sacha Hatchett.
She added: "He said he appreciates that given the risk to human life, the officers made the correct decision.
"He is supportive of the police as had there been a serious accident, he said he could not have lived with himself."
Hundreds of people have expressed anger over the incident on Facebook, with some commenters asking why the police could not have fired a Taser gun at the dog instead.
However, the officers involved had made several attempts to catch the dog as it ran in and out of high-speed traffic on the unlit A55 near Llandudno, causing vehicles to swerve.
It has emerged that the same force had previously Tasered a ram on the same road - and although the sheep was incapacitated for a time, it survived.
Mimi Bekhechi, director of the animal rights charity PETA, said: "This could just as easily have been a frightened human being or someone with a mental illness.
"These officers desperately need a crash course in humane animal control if they believe that crushing a dog under a vehicle was the best or only available option."
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