People gathered outside the law courts yesterday morning gaped in sheer horror as a black Labrador sniffer dog plunged out of the second storey of the building while being used to sniff for explosives.

Scott is stationed with the police K-9 squad and was taken to the law courts to check for any trace of explosives. Sniffer work is highly exhausting for the animals and it often puts them into a state of frenzied excitement. Scott was carrying out his duties when an official ambassadorial motorcade drove past the law courts in Republic Street. It was led by mounted police and this seems to have distracted and confused the dog, leading him to scramble up onto a window ledge and plummet down to the ground.

The window through which he jumped is on the first floor of the law courts, but there is a split level and in reality Scott fell a height of about two storeys. People gasped as they saw the unfortunate animal hurtle to the ground and the whole of Republic Street immediately gathered around to see the outcome.

Scott was immediately rushed to the vets’ for treatment after the fall and fortunately, he got away with just heavy bruising.

The Malta Independent contacted his handlers at the K-9 section and they assured us that Scott, beaten and bruised, was not in any danger.

An officer explained: “He took a heavy fall, but we are glad to note that all he has suffered is bruising, he is not in any danger and will return to work as soon as he is passed fully fit.”

Scott is an explosives sniffer dog. The section has different kinds of sniffers, for drugs, explosives and for counterfeit items.