A woman has been arrested after a dog was fatally shot by police officers in Bedale, North Yorkshire, following two reported attacks. North Yorkshire Police confirmed that an Alsatian-type dog was destroyed by a firearms officer in the early hours of Saturday morning (2 August), after it bit a man and a police officer on the legs.
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The incident began at approximately 10.50pm on Friday, when a man in his 60s called emergency services to report being bitten while walking home from the pub in Market Place, close to the town’s bowling club.
Officers arrived on scene and located the dog near the fire station at around 11.30pm. Multiple attempts were made to restrain the animal, during which a police officer also sustained a bite injury. The dog fled the scene again and was eventually found at 1.30am on Queen Anne’s Drive, just off Firby Road.
Due to concerns for public safety and with a vet estimated to be 25 minutes away, the decision was taken to have the dog humanely destroyed at the scene by a trained firearms officer. A 64-year-old woman, believed to be the dog’s owner, was arrested on suspicion of owning a dangerously out-of-control dog that caused injury. She remains in police custody while enquiries continue.
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Both the bitten man and the injured officer attended hospital and received treatment, including tetanus injections. North Yorkshire Police have appealed for witnesses or anyone with relevant information to come forward by calling 101 and quoting reference NYP-01082025-0637.
