The dog that attacked a man in Swindon was an ‘exempt’ XL Bully, police say.
Firearms officers were deployed in Exeter Street after the victim, aged in his 50s, sustained life-changing injuries on Sunday afternoon (27 April).
The man, who was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol for urgent care, was looking after the dog for the owner at this own property when he was mauled.
Dog handlers, supported by armed officers, worked to capture the dog – which Wiltshire Police say was registered as an XL Bully and had an exemption certificate issued.
“The owner did everything right. They got him registered and when walked he had a muzzle on”, a source close to the XL Bully’s owner said.
They added: “The person who got attacked was like his second owner and was in his care when it happened.”
It’s understood the injured man regularly walked and looked after the dog.
It took around two hours to contain, sedate and then remove the animal. Officers placed it into a cage shortly after 6.15pm, and drove it away from the scene in an unmarked van.
The pet is currently being held in secure kennels, believed to be at Gablecross Police Station. It remains alive while an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Officers arrested the owner of the dog, a 24-year-old woman. She was held on suspicion of being the owner/person in charge of dog dangerously out of control causing injury.
