Two arrests as XL bully fatally mauls puppy

Officers were called to Charles Street in Doncaster following the attack on Friday morning

Two people have been arrested and an XL bully dog seized after a puppy was fatally mauled on a street in Doncaster.

South Yorkshire Police were called to Charles Street in Skellow at 10:20 GMT on Friday, after reports a chihuahua had been attacked and an XL bully was out of control.

The injured puppy was taken to a vet, but subsequently put down.

Officers said they arrested a 22-year-old man and 21-year-old woman on suspicion of owning a dog dangerously out of control.

The XL bully, which is believed to have escaped from a nearby property shortly before the attack, remained in police kennels, a force spokesperson said.

A government ban on the breed comes into force in England and Wales in February, with owners having to apply for an exemption in advance if they want to keep their pets.

Ch Insp Emma Cheney said dog owners were responsible for their animal's actions wherever they were.

“If your dog causes fear or harm, it will be you, the owner, who is held accountable and, in some cases, put before the courts."