XL Bully death Beighton: Owner tells how dog met horror death in Sheffield A57 bridge plunge

A woman whose XL Bully dog plunged to its death from a busy Sheffield road bridge has told how the animal came to fall to its tragic fate.

Investigators probing the death of an XL Bully dog have traced its owner, and say they are now treating the death as a terrible accident after speaking to her.

It was originally believed by the RSPCA that the muzzled XL Bully had been thrown to her death from the A57 viaduct, which joins Beighton with Swallownest, across the Shire Brook valley.

The black and white female pet was found by a dog walker who was in the area known as The Washlands - which the bridge crosses- at around 11am on Monday (January 22, 2024).

But in a statement, the RSPCA confirmed it was now thought to have been accidental - after the dog broke its lead and ran off - and called for an end to abuse that the owner has received from trolls on social media

They animal welfare charity said: "Following our appeal for information about a muzzled XL Bully found dead in an area known as The Washlands in Sheffield, we have now traced and spoken to the dog’s owner.  

"The owner told us that their young dog was nervous and had broken her lead while on a walk and ran off. The owner told us they immediately made attempts to trace the pet by putting an appeal out on social media asking for help.

"The owner’s details have since been shared by members of the public on social media, resulting in significant abuse, but we are appealing for people to trust that we have properly looked into the circumstances surrounding this poor dog’s death and, based on the evidence available, this appears to be a tragic accident. 

"The RSPCA will always investigate suspicious animal welfare concerns and cruelty and would like to thank the public for their help in this matter and their continued support."

The UK Government recently  introduced new legislation requiring - from 31 December - XL bully dogs to be  muzzled and kept on a lead in a public place.

The RSPCA offers welfare advice to dog owners on their website.

The A57 is a heavily used road, and the valley which the bridge crosses is also well used by walkers.