Dog located in police hunt after officer bitten and seriously injured
A man from London's been charged with several offences
A dog has been put down after police tried for several hours to catch it at Talbot Heath in Poole.
They tried to detain the animal in connection with an incident on Friday evening where they pulled over a car at Coy Pond Road and a dog was let off its lead leading to an officer being bitten and seriously injured.
A man from London's been charged with several offences including having a dog dangerously out of control.
Read more: Man charged after 'bulldog-type' dog bites police officer
Sharing the details on their social media, police in Poole said: "On the evening of Friday 4 April 2025, an officer stopped a vehicle in Coy Pond Road. It was reported that a man exited the vehicle and as the officer approached on foot, the man let his dog off the lead and it subsequently bit an officer causing substantial injuries to his legs and arm.
"It was reported both the man and dog – now believed to be a Pocket Bulldog – then made off from the scene.
"The officer was treated for a number of puncture wounds and an area search was conducted, but the suspect and dog were not immediately located.
"Following further enquiries, a 32-year-old man from London was arrested on Saturday 5 April 2025. He was subsequently charged with being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent, driving whilst disqualified and driving without valid insurance. He is next due to appear at Poole Magistrates' Court on Thursday 8 May 2025.
"Searches for the dog continued in the area of Talbot Heath over the weekend and shortly after 1pm on Monday 7 April 2025 a report was received of a sighting in the Talbot Village area.
"Officers attended and made efforts to contain the dog for a number of hours throughout the afternoon.
"Regrettably, having explored all other options, the dog was put down by officers due to the ongoing threat it posed to the public. The decision was made after exploring all other contingencies while balancing the safety to the public.
"We would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as we responded to this incident and would particularly like to thank members of the public who provided information to assist with locating the dog."