Dangerous dog reports in South Yorkshire

November 17, 2024, 12:19 PM

South Yorkshire Police have confirmed 13 reports of ‘dangerous dogs’ in just 48 hours.

One man suffered serious facial injuries, while a woman feared for the safety of her baby.

A statement on the Yorkshire Police website said: “As dogs causing harm and fear in our communities continue to place significant demand on our forces, we are urging owners to take action before someone dies.

“On Thursday (November 14) at 3.22pm we were alerted by the ambulance service to a man who had been attacked by his own dog in Sheffield.

“The dog, an American Bulldog, had attacked when the owner attempted to separate the bulldog and a bully in the property.

“The owner suffered lacerations to his face, neck and head and was taken to hospital. The dog was seized and remains in police kennels.”

Read more: Two children and a woman were injured by a pack of four ‘dangerous, out-of-control’ dogs when the arrest took place

Read more: XL bullies have created ‘new burden on police’ as forces have to care for dogs waiting for court hearings

Police confirm another incident occurred when “a woman walking home with her baby in a carrier on her chest” was approached by an XL Bully.

The dog was reportedly acting ‘aggressively’ before jumping towards her baby.

In a third incident, an elderly woman and her grandchild were attacked by another stray dog ​​in Sheffield. Police have not confirmed the breed of this dog.

Chief Inspector Emma Cheney, who is leading the investigation into dangerous dogs in South Yorkshire, said in the statement: “Recently we have sadly seen another fatal incident in Britain involving the death of a dog.

“People think it won’t happen to them, that it won’t hurt their dog, but it can happen to anyone. Any dog ​​can cause fear and harm and owners who fail to intervene and prevent harm to our communities will not be tolerated.

“You are responsible for your dog’s actions and we will continue to take people to court.”

Police warned dog owners, explaining that dangerous dogs come at a financial cost to police every time they respond.

Ms Cheney added: “We only have so many resources, attending dangerous dog incidents takes officers away from other calls. If every owner does their part and makes small changes, we can make a difference.”

Dog owners are advised to visit the Blue Cross website to learn more about training their dogs and teaching children how to behave around dogs.