The increase in dog attacks caused alarm bells to ring in South Yorkshire, with chilling videos circulating as police warned “someone is going to die”.

South Yorkshire Police have issued a serious warning after thirteen incidents were reported in just 48 hours.

These included a harrowing encounter where a young mother found herself and her baby in a frightening situation after a stray XL Bully attacked.

The owner of an American Bulldog was taken to hospital after suffering injuries to his face, neck and head when he intervened to break up a dog fight at his home in Sheffield.

The bulldog was seized by police officers and is currently being held in police booths.

An old woman and her grandchild were among those attacked by another stray hound in the city.

The wave of violence is exacerbated by the heartbreaking case of 10-year-old Savannah Bentham, who was mauled to death by her own pet XL Bully, who North Yorkshire Police described as having a ‘close, loving relationship’ with its owner. .

The numbers reveal a grim story for the region; There were 796 dog attacks in South Yorkshire from February 2023 to July 2024; 370 in 2023 and 426 in 2024. This figure has doubled compared to 2020.

A dog attack is an offense when ‘an owner or person responsible allows a dog to become dangerously out of control in any part of England or Wales, causing harm to any person or assistance dog’.

A man was dragged down the road after trying to fight off an attacking dog in Sheffield last year.

Video footage of an out-of-control dog attacking another dog on Richmond Road in Sheffield on September 2 last year

Dog attacks have increased by a fifth in a year, with police recording more than 80 incidents a day.

Police forces recorded 30,539 attacks in which a dog injured a person or guide dog last year; this number was 25,291 in 2022.

In 2023, more than 6,000 cases of dog bites requiring hospital treatment were recorded.

This comes after the ban on XL Bully dogs came into force after a number of devastating attacks from the dogs led to people being killed or seriously injured.

A few days after the ban, 68-year-old Esther Martin was mauled to death by her son-in-law’s unregistered XL Bully dogs in front of her screaming 11-year-old grandson.

Professor Carri Westgarth and Dr John Tulloch, from the University of Liverpool’s School of Veterinary Medicine, said most dog bites came from a dog the victim knew.

Most often this is the family pet, and bites occur during stroking, restraining or just playing.

The dog usually responds to discomfort, pain or fear.

Little Savannah was killed by her pet dog after she was attacked at her home in Malton, Yorkshire, earlier this month.

Traumatic scenes of girl’s mother screaming ‘my baby is dead’ outside unfolded in sleepy Yorkshire village after Savannah boasted to friends: ‘I’ve got a new pet – an XL Bully’.

In a statement released through North Yorkshire Police, Savannah’s family said they were ‘completely shocked’ and ‘devastated’, adding: ‘We cannot believe we have lost our wonderful daughter who we loved so much.’

They continued: ‘We thank everyone for their support and kindness as we try to come to terms with our loss. ‘We ask that our family’s privacy be respected as we mourn the loss of Savannah.’

The family lives in a static caravan in a compound behind a shop in East Heslerton, North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire Police said the girl had a ‘close and loving relationship’ with the dog that killed her. The force said the dog would be killed.

Dramatic moment armed police surround man after dog attack in Sheffield

Days earlier, a little girl was left horribly injured when she was attacked as she tried to kiss her family’s two-year-old Doberman dog in Sheffield.

The dog was laid out on the sofa and the girl tried to peck it, but the animal reacted and smashed the boy’s head off.

The little girl, whose face and ears were seen covered in blood in the terrible photographs taken after the attack, was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery.

The dog was seized and put to sleep.

Last month, horrific images of a man being mauled by a pair of dogs that had reportedly escaped into the street were shared with the public.

A boy and a 14-year-old girl were attacked in Dagenam Crescent, Sheffield, on 29 September.

Two dogs, believed to be a Mastiff and a Cane Corso, are thought to have escaped from a property on the street.

The 47-year-old victim, who had deep cuts and holes on his body, was taken to the hospital by ambulance and underwent surgery.

A second victim, a 14-year-old, suffered minor injuries while trying to intervene.

In September, a four-year-old girl playing in a park with her mother in Sheffield was attacked by two XL Bullys.

It was learned that the wounds on her body were not life-threatening, and she was taken to the hospital.

Moreover, in September last year, shocking images emerged of a mother trying to protect her little daughter after an out-of-control dog attacked her own pet.

The woman was walking her dog and pushing her one-year-old child on a tricycle when a Staffordshire bull terrier came running towards them on Richmond Road in Sheffield.

The bull terrier then attacked the woman’s dog, who was trying to pull her daughter, who was heard crying, out of the way.

A few days ago, a man was dragged into the middle of the road while trying to fight off an attacking dog.

CCTV of the attack shows a man in a blue balaclava and dark trousers holding a small black dog aloft while a larger, tan dog appears to cling to his arm.

As it moves around and tries to fend off the larger animal, the animal locks its jaws around its left forearm.

Despite this, the dog still refuses to let go; He does so when a red BMW hatchback comes to the rescue and appears to climb onto the pavement to stop the incident.

This is the terrifying moment a man was mauled by a pair of dogs as he ran into the street in Dagenam Crescent, Sheffield.

In the footage, the man can be seen trying to escape, but while another person tried to pull the dog away, the man fell to the ground.

But as the smaller black pet tries to escape, the larger animal pursues it down the road before the footage ends.

Chief Inspector Emma Cheney, who is leading the investigation into dangerous dogs in South Yorkshire, said: ‘Sadly we have recently witnessed another fatal incident in the UK where a dog caused death.

‘People think it won’t happen to them, that their dog won’t get hurt, but it can happen to anyone.

‘Any dog ​​can cause fear and harm and owners who fail to take action and prevent harm to our communities will not be tolerated.’

Speaking directly to owners, he added: ‘You are responsible for your dog’s actions and we continue to take people to court.’

The police force has lamented the financial cost and resources involved, saying each response to a dog attack takes officers ‘away from other calls’.

As well as having to contract kennel staff for the transport and housing of dogs, they are also required to carry out security checks and investigate criminal aspects to ‘ensure justice is secured’.

A spokesman for the force added: ‘Dogs seized during incidents should be cared for separately from investigative sources and kept in kennels until a decision is made.’

CI Cheney continued: ‘We only have limited resources, attending dangerous dog incidents distracts officers from other searches. If every business owner steps forward and makes small changes, we can make a difference.’