Two people injured and rushed to hospital after dog attack

A woman was knocked to the ground and suffered facial injuries during the attack

A man and a woman were injured and taken to hospital following a dog attack, police have confirmed.

The incident took place during an altercation between two dogs at the same household in Hereford on Sunday afternoon.

A woman in her 20s was knocked to the ground during the attack and suffered facial injuries and a man, also in his 20s, suffered a hand injury while attempting to separate the dogs.

West Mercia Police were called to the residential property at around 5:15pm and both people involved were taken to hospital.

They added that the dog that caused injury to the man has been recovered and is currently secured at kennels. The breeds of the dogs are currently unknown and West Mercia Police has been approached for further information.

A police spokesperson said: “Earlier this evening, officers responded to a report of a dog related incident which caused injuries to two people in Hereford. The incident took place at a residential property on Campbell Close, Hereford at around 5:15pm today (Sunday 22 October)

“During an altercation between two dogs from the same household, a man in his 20s suffered a hand injury attempting to separate the dogs and a woman, also in her 20s, suffered facial injuries after being knocked to the ground. Both people have been taken to hospital.”

The incident is the latest in a string of dog attacks - some of them fatal - to have taken place across the country in recent weeks. XL Bully dogs have been involved in a significant number of them.

Ian Langley was mauled to death by an XL Bully earlier this month at his home in Sunderland (Sunderland Global Media)

Just one week ago, on Monday October 16, a school was forced to evacuate in Norfolk after a 60-year-old woman was mauled by her pet XL Bully at her home, before it escaped from the back garden.

In September, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced the dogs were to be banned by the end of the year following a spate of horrific attacks.

People take part in a protest in central London, against the Government’s decision to add XL bully dogs to the list of prohibited breeds under the Dangerous Dogs Act (Jeff Moore/PA) (PA Wire)

The prime minister said the animals, which campaigners have linked to at least 14 human deaths since 2021, are a danger to children and communities, in a video posted to social media.

XL’s got recognition as a breed from the US United Kennel Club in 2013 but they are not recognised by the main dog associations in the UK, meaning an outline ban could be difficult to enforce.