Gisborne District Council says a beloved family dog should've never been put down under its watch.

An investigation has been launched after Sarge was taken from his property on Friday and mistakenly euthanised by an animal control officer.

According to the family's social media post, he was fully chipped and in a fenced-in area.

Gisborne District Council's Nedine Thatcher-Swann says she wants to unpack exactly what's happened.

"To the whānau, we have failed them. And we sincerely apologise- and to our community, for this."

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