Woman found guilty of owning dangerous XL bully

Sophie Zaherali wore a badge with a picture of her dog on it to her court hearing earlier this year

A woman whose XL bully was shot dead by police has been found guilty of owning a dog dangerously out of control.

South Yorkshire Police said officers fatally shot the animal on 7 December after receiving reports it had bitten a woman and had shown aggression to a dog walker in Hillsborough, Sheffield - although no one was injured.

At Sheffield Magistrates' Court on Monday, the dog's owner, Sophie Zaherali, 31, was also convicted of a public communications offence.

Zaherali, of Dykes Hall Road, Sheffield, is due to be sentenced at the same court on 16 December.

According to South Yorkshire Police, following the death of Zaherali's dog, which was called Ghost, she had shared images online in an attempt to identify the firearms officer involved.

She was subsequently charged with sending by public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing message/matter, a charge to which she pleaded guilty.

Other charges of allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or lead, and a public communication offence against a further officer were dismissed.

South Yorkshire Police said the decision to shoot an animal was "never taken lightly", but the safety of the community and officers "was always our priority".

Firearms inspector Steve Usher said: "Dogs are the responsibility of their owners, and they are the ones who will be held responsible for their animal's actions.

"Sadly, in South Yorkshire, our officers have witnessed and attempted to save the lives of people mauled by their own animals. Everyone's safety will always be our priority."

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