'Any dog has the ability to harm' - South Yorkshire Police call on owners to be responsible following attacks

South Yorkshire Police’s response to reports of dangerous dogs has been called into question lately, following a series of incidents that saw officers shoot and kill people’s pets.

Sign up for newsletters from The Star

In the past month alone a man in North Anston, Rotherham, described the tragedy of losing ‘two family members’ when his dogs Mila and Benji were killed by officers after escaping through a hole in the garden fence.

Only a few days later, in Hillfoot, near Upperthorpe, Sheffield, a separate incident occurred where police shot at an XL Bully, which caused the animal to flee and escape.

A week-long search took place for the dog, before it was found injured and put to sleep.

Last weekend, XL Bully owners and dog lovers staged a protest outside police headquarters on Carbrook Hall Road, Attercliffe, in response to police officers shooting pets.

Organiser Sandra Odelga said ahead of the protest on Saturday (April 12): “I think the police have no understanding of whether a dog is dangerous and just shoot them.

“All bull breed dog owners in Sheffield are terrified of police.

“They walk their dogs at night or take them to private fields because they are so afraid.”

Yet officers seem to have grown similarly worn-out by the situation, claiming that dangerous dog cases are continuing to take up more and more of their time.

On average, police receive five reports of dogs causing injury or fear in South Yorkshire every day.

And a recent case at Sheffield County Court seems to have epitomised the concerns, after an irresponsible owner of an English Bull Terrier failed to meet protective measures set by police.

In January 2024, police received reports that a dog, called Ragnor, had bitten someone while out on a walk with its owner.

Get The Star for less than a fiver with our new value subscription package

Officers worked with the owner and agreed that Ragnor would be walked muzzled and on a lead, and that he would attend the Blue Cross ‘Responsible Dog Owners’ course to understand how to be a better owner and reduce risk.

The owner failed to attend the course and was later seen walking his dog without a muzzle and lead.

Only a few months after the initial report, in June 2024, a woman was hospitalised after Ragnor attacked her, causing serious injuries to her hand and leaving her bone exposed.

Ragnor was seized by officers and has remained in police kennels since.

Ragnor’s owner failed to attend his court hearing on April 1 and it was held in his absence, during which the judge banned him from owning dogs for 10 years and ordered that he pay back court fees and kennelling costs amounting to £8,016.

He also granted a destruction order for the dog.

Chief Inspector Emma Cheney, who is leading the work on dangerous dogs in South Yorkshire, said: “Dangerous dogs are continuing to take officers, resources and money away from other areas of policing and changing this starts with owners stepping up.

“Our priority remains public safety and we are doing all we can to reduce the chances of people losing their life to dangerous dogs.

“In this case, we attempted to educate this owner, providing restorative justice, and giving him the chance to stand by Ragnor and change his behaviour. He failed to do so, and ultimately failed his dog.

“Please take action. Stop thinking it won’t happen to you. Any dog has the ability to cause harm. Be a decent owner.”

More information about training your dog, and making changes can be found here- https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog

Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at https://www.yourworld.net/submit/ It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.