South Yorkshire dog attack: Family dog ‘put to sleep’ after teenage girl taken to hospital with bite wounds

A teenager suffered painful bite wounds to her legs, resulting in hospital treatment after the family dog turned on her.

Yesterday, April 4, just before 1pm, South Yorkshire Police received a call to reports of a dog bite in Darfield, Barnsley. When officers arrived, a 17-year-old girl was found with deep wounds to her legs, caused by the family Staffordshire bull terrier.

The teenager was taken to hospital for treatment. It is believed that she was in the living room, got up to answer the door and when she returned the dog attacked her.

As enquiries at the home with parents continued, it was also reported this is not the first time the dog has bitten someone. The dog was signed over to police and has since been put to sleep.

PC Paul Jameson, an officer within the team leading the work on dangerous dogs in South Yorkshire said: “All dogs can be aggressive; they are animals, but some dogs have greater capability to cause harm due to their size and strength and characteristics.

“We always urge parents to never leave children unsupervised with dogs, but in this case, the victim is nearly an adult and did not provoke the dog in anyway.

“It’s a stark reminder that all dogs, no matter how long they have been part of your family, can attack. Animals can’t express things to us, but understanding their behaviour, body language, what is normal and not normal, can prevent injury. In certain breeds these signs may not be as obvious or easy to identify as others.”

For more information about dog safety, please visit Blue Cross Charity website: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/keeping-your-family-dog-and-visiting-children-safe