XL Bully shot dead by police after dog found dangerously out of control

An XL Bully was shot dead by armed police in Sheffield after the dog ran loose and reportedly attacked a woman. Officers were called to reports an XL Bully had bitten a woman on her arm and was being aggressive to a second person walking their dog. Police bodycam footage from 7 December 2024, shows the officers arriving at the scene - a residential road in Hillsborough - before loading a shotgun and firing three rounds at the animal. Sophie Zaherali, 31, of Dykes Hall Road has now been found guilty of owning a dog dangerously out of control - no injury. Zaherali will be sentenced on 16 December. A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “The decision to shoot a dog is one never taken lightly by our officers. They are highly trained and carry out risk assessments, and observations of the tactics available to them and the situation they are in. “Our aim will always be to safely contain any animal, but the safety of the community and officers is always our priority.”