Shocking moment out-of-control dog attacks police horse

Shocking moment out-of-control dog attacks police horse during chaotic five-minute encounter as officers scream for the owner to put it on a lead and brave witnesses try to stop the animal

The footage was captured at Victoria Park, in Hackney, London, yesterday
Police officers are heard screaming for the dog to be put on a lead immediately
DO YOU KNOW THE DOG OWNER? Email alexander.butler.mol@mailonline.co.uk

By Alexander Butler

Published: 09:25 GMT, 23 March 2023 | Updated: 12:03 GMT, 23 March 2023

This is the terrifying moment an out-of-control dog attacked two police horses in a park as witnesses tried to stop the animal.

The footage, captured yesterday by a passer-by in Victoria Park, London, shows the chaotic scenes as officers scream for what looks like an American-style bulldog to be put on a lead.

Members of the public are seen to intervene, with one man using a long stick to try to get the dog away from the horses.

Officers were heard shouting ‘get the dog now’, ‘get the dog’ and ‘get on with it’ as they tried to control their horses which were kicking out violently.

A man dressed in camouflage clothing appears to be the owner, who seemingly stands back while other people intervene.

DO YOU KNOW THE DOG OWNER? Email alexander.butler.mol@mailonline.co.uk

The footage, captured yesterday by a passer-by in Victoria Park, London, shows a small dog attacking the two horses as the officers scream for the dog to be put on a lead

How to spot aggression in a dog – and its cause

Aggression in dogs is almost always a case of fear – using their bite as a last resort method of self-defence or to get a frightening or unpleasant experience to stop.

Such fears can arise due to early years puppy socialisation or past experiences.

Owners need to be able to recognise and establish how a dog is feeling, with many giving off warning signals before an attack.

There are several signals that your dog may give to indicate they are worried, fearful or feeling stressed and these include: yawning or licking lips, crouching with their tail between their legs, wagging tails and growling.

If a dog is showing any signs of aggression, a vet should be consulted to determine if there is a medical cause, such as pain or discomfort.

Failing that, speaking to a behavioural expert could help tame a more aggressive animal.

Source: Merseyside Dog Safety Partnership

An officer dismounted the horse immediately after the dog is moved away and shouted for the dog to be put on a lead immediately.

One of the mounts is thought to have suffered leg injuries and both are believed to have been traumatised after the dog bit at their legs and body.

A witness, 37, told the Sun she was walking her dog when she saw the other canine looking at the horses.

She said: ‘It was shocking and scary. You could tell it was bad. I spotted the dog and the body language was way too interested in the horses and was going over to antagonise them.

‘The officers were trying to get the owner to get the dog under control and secured.’

She said one person managed to grab the dog but the owner then took his time to put the dog on a lead.

The witness added she was ‘apologetic’ she couldn’t do anything to help but felt she had to keep her own dog under control.

She accused some owners of the type of dog breed as only buying them for the ‘status’ and urged dog owners to keep their pets on a lead.

The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.

In all, there have been 18 deadly dog attacks since January 2020, with last year being the deadliest on record.

12 people, ranging from a 17-month-old toddler to an 83-year-old pensioner, were killed in dog attacks across England and Wales over the past 12 months – with experts pointing to several concerning trends potentially being behind the spate of disturbing killings.

One of the mounts is thought to have suffered leg injuries and both are traumatised after the dog bit at their legs and body

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