Doncaster in South Yorkshire was the scene of a tragedy when a puppy was the victim of an attack by a larger dog, which was at the time out of control. South Yorkshire Police were alerted to the incident at 10:20 AM on Friday and the animal was taken to a veterinary clinic but was beyond help and had to be euthanised. The police arrested a 21-year-old female and a 22-year-old male under suspicion of owning a dog that was out of control.
According to a spokesperson for the police force, an XL bully was taken into custody and removed to police kennels to await further developments in the case. Reports suggest that the bull breed had somehow got out of a neighbouring home, prior to the attack, and was not being kept under effective control at that time.
New restrictions on certain breeds of dog come into force in England and Wales from February of this year, with extra controls on ownership. At that time, owners will need to apply for a special exemption if they want to keep dogs with a higher risk status, due to their breed. However, historic experience indicates that despite previous efforts to put controls in place, they are not always effective in reducing the number of serious incidents involving dogs.
Commenting on this particular incident, Ch Insp Emma Cheney of South Yorkshire Police, said “If your dog causes fear or harm, it will be you, the owner, who is held accountable and, in some cases, put before the courts.” Owners are responsible under the law to ensure that their animals do not cause harm or anxiety to members of the public or other animals, regardless of where they might be at the time.
This particular case is thankfully understood to have been isolated, but serves as a timely reminder that dog control is an issue that cannot be ignored, and that deterrents and consequences must be in place to avoid serious injury or fatalities
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