Police have launched a hunt for a man and a dog after a person was bitten at a Co-op.

Officers are investigating a dog attack at the supermarket in Somerville Road, Swindon, on Saturday 2 May.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said: “Officers would like to identify the person in this CCTV image.

“It is thought he might be able to help with enquiries into an incident in which a person was bitten by a dog outside the Coop Supermarket in Somerville Road, Swindon on Saturday 2nd May.

“The person who was bitten sustained minor injuries.

“If you know who this is, or if this is you, please contact PC Dangerfield on 0608@wiltshire.police.uk quoting log 54260052526.”

Six out of 10 children who required plastic surgery treatment due to dog bites were bitten by a family pet, a new study has found.

The most common breeds reported by parents or guardians to have bitten children were terriers, followed by Jack Russells. American pit bull terriers and German shepherds, both legislated breeds, ranked third and fourth.

Labradors, beagles, huskies and Rottweilers were also among the 18 different breeds of dogs involved in attacks treated by the plastic surgery service at Children’s Health Ireland in Crumlin, Dublin, over a three-year period.

Catherine de Blacam, the consultant paediatric surgeon who headed the study, said she wasn’t surprised by the finding that 59pc of dog bites were from a family pet.

“There are incidents where people are set upon by a dog, but it is most frequently a dog that’s known to the child – a family dog or a grandparents’ dog,” she said. “Certainly, that’s the pattern that we see. It’s often the family labrador.”

The team found the average age of paediatric patients treated by plastic surgeons at Crumlin for dog bites was just over six. The study noted children are three to five times more likely than adults to be bitten by dogs.

Of 89 child patients, 70pc of the dogs involved were non-legislated breeds.

The study, which was published in medical journal The Surgeon, said the most common injuries were to the face, neck and head, with the study noting younger children are particularly vulnerable because they are often at face-level with dogs.

The team have also treated smaller kids who have been badly shaken by dogs.

More than half of children presenting with dog bites needed surgery under general anaesthetic. Ms De Blacam said cases referred to the plastic surgery service tended to be injuries to the face and hands, while injuries to the legs would primarily be treated by orthopaedic surgeons.

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The incidents can also leave lasting scarring on children: “We still can’t make scars disappear. We can reorientate them, and you can do various sort of reconstructive procedures to put scars in the most cosmetically acceptable alignment,but you definitely can’t ever get rid of them.

The study noted that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children following dog bite injuries has been described.

“At a minimum, discussing all aspects of the dog bite incident with the child and family should be promoted, and healthcare professionals should be aware of signs that extra help may be required,” it added.

The study noted that national Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) data has demonstrated a year-on-year increase in hospitalisations for dog bite injuries, with children under 10 at particular risk

The researchers underscored the severity of such injuries by citing child psychiatrist Larry Schmitt, who compared a child bitten above the shoulders by a dog to “an unarmed adult sustaining a bear bite”.

The study also noted that spending time with dogs can benefit children by encouraging physical activity, reducing stress and helping develop empathy.

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A crossing guard in West Valley City is getting some recognition from a local family who says she stepped in to save their daughter from a pit bull attack.

Ruta Pataialii is known to kids as the person who wears a safety vest and gets them safely to and from school. But for the Fuette family, she's a hero.

Last week, the Fuettes said 11-year-old Alexis was walking to school when a fenced in pit bull jumped onto the fence and bit her arm.

"It was scary, and at the same time, I was shocked," Alexis remembered.

After hearing the attack, Pataialii stepped in to help.

"I ran over and took my sign and hit the dog's head," she said.

Following a brief struggle, Pataialii was able to pry the dog away from the little girl, who suffered only minor injuries.

"There were so many what-ifs that could have happened," said Alexis' mother, Tawnya. "What if it got her face? Her life would've never been the same."

For Pataialii, the decision to step in wasn't hard.

"If that was my granddaughter, I would have done the same thing," she explained. "When your kids come out, we're their parents, and when they come home, they're yours."

Before moving to Utah, Pataialii lived in American Samoa and then California. She moved to Utah to work as a seamstress and remembers the Fuette family having been supportive of her for several years.

"In the cold winter, [Alexis' dad] always buys us hot cocoa from the Maverik," said Pataialii.

Now, more familiar with each other than ever, the Fuette family says they are grateful that Pataialii was there.

"It could've been way worse," said Tawnya, "I'm so grateful she was there."

Proving that heroes don't just wear capes, they wear safety vests too.

The Animal Justice Party is calling for stronger accountability after a large male dog, which was loose in the neighbourhood, bit multiple dogs and one person recently at Umina Beach.

NSW Police said that at about 5.30am on Saturday, May 9, officers from Brisbane Water Police District responded to reports of a dog attack in McLaurin Rd.

According to police, a woman walking her Cavalier was confronted by a large, American Staffordshire Bull Terrier-type dog, which attacked her pet.

While the woman was not injured, her dog sustained injuries and required veterinary treatment.

Later that morning, at around 7am, officers attended Lake View Rd following a report involving the same dog attacking another dog being walked by a different woman.

During her attempt to intervene, the woman was bitten on the arm.

Police confirmed that, following inquiries, the offending dog was seized and placed in the custody of Central Coast Council rangers.

Council confirmed it had received multiple reports of a dog attack involving the same animal that day.

A spokesperson said rangers attended the scene and, due to the severity of the incidents, seized the dog, which was subsequently euthanised that day in accordance with NSW legislation.

Council also advised that a formal investigation is underway, with infringement notices expected to be issued for various offences identified in relation to the incident.

“Central Coast Council takes incidents involving aggressive animals very seriously and will continue to take appropriate enforcement action to safeguard the community,” the spokesperson said.

A professional dog walker and pet sitter, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she was walking her client’s dog when the offending animal attacked the dog in her care.

“It came running at us; the Labrador is not small enough to pick up, and I just started screaming,” she said.

“He sank his jaw into her back, and I knew I had to get him off.”

She pulled the attacking dog by the tail and it eventually released its grip and bit her arm, resulting in significant puncture wounds.

She said she did what anyone would do.

“A neighbour managed to hide us behind his fence, but the dog still came at us, like it was stalking us,” she said.

Fiona MacDonald, a 40-year-old company director whose dog was in the walker’s care, said she was aware of a third dog bitten on the same day by the same animal.

“There were three dogs being treated at the same vet hospital as my Labrador after the incident that morning,” she said.

The Labrador victim recovering after surgery

She said the ranger attended the hospital to evaluate the case but post-incident guidance has been minimal, and that it was difficult to work out the next steps.

“We heard through other impacted dog owners that we could pursue the matter civilly against the dog owner, but we never heard from the police after we gave a statement,” she said.

The family now faces significant vet and medical bills for their pet and dog sitter.

“A centralised information and support system to help understand the legal aspects and obligations, as well as how to assist humans and dogs with trauma, would be very beneficial for anyone impacted by a dog attack,” Ms MacDonald said.

Spokesperson and Deputy Group Leader for the Animal Justice Party, Central Coast, Emily McCallum, said animal guardians have a fundamental responsibility to ensure their animals are properly trained, safely contained, and do not pose a danger to the community.

“When negligent or reckless ownership leads to serious harm, there must be strong consequences,” she said.

“These incidents reinforce the urgent need for an independent Office of Animal Welfare to improve oversight, enforcement, early intervention, and community safety outcomes for both people and animals.”

The Animal Justice Party is calling for stronger preventative measures, including restrictions on future dog ownership for serious offenders, mandatory education and training programs for dog guardians, and early intervention strategies to address warning signs before attacks occur.

Based on the NSW Government’s Office of Local Government report covering October 1-December 31, 2025, Central Coast Council recorded 47 dog attack incidents, making it one of the highest-reporting areas in NSW for that quarter.

Of these incidents, 12 were classified as serious attacks on people, requiring medical treatment, hospitalisation or resulting in death, while 22 were less serious.

In total, 34 people and 25 animals were attacked.

The Central Coast had approximately 174,934 microchipped dogs, making it one of the state’s largest dog-owning regions.

A NSW Government spokesperson said the state has some of the strongest dog management laws in the country, but recognised there is room for improvement.

“The NSW Government is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the Companion Animals Act 1998, which is the first in over 20 years,” they said.

The spokesperson said that as part of this review, they are considering ways to strengthen the requirements for dangerous and menacing dogs, improve compliance and enforcement, and ensure councils have the right tools to manage these incidents effectively.

Analysis by iSelect using 2023-2024 data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that, of the Top 10 Animal-Related Injury Causes in Australia, dog-related injury was number one. 

Being bitten or struck by a dog made up 31% of all animal-related injuries and there were 10,345 hospitalisations during that period.

Shots fired at service dog while protecting owner from aggressive pit bull, deputies say

Service dog targeted by gunfire while defending owner from pit bull attack, deputies say

HOUSTON – A gun was pulled during a dog attack Tuesday at an apartment complex in northwest Harris County, according to deputies with Constable Mark Herman’s Office.

Deputies responded to a disturbance involving a gun after a caller stated they were being attacked by a pit bull while with their service dog at the Venti Apartments in the 14300 block of Ella Boulevard.

The caller told law enforcement their service dog protected them during the attack. During the incident, the owner of the pit bull reportedly pulled out a gun and fired shots at the service dog.

Deputies said they are actively searching for the suspect, who may still be in the area.

EMS was requested to evaluate the complainant as a precaution.

• A 59-year-old veteran was killed in a dog mauling on Jacksonville's Westside.
• One of the residents on the property, Melvyn Souffrount, has been charged with manslaughter nearly two years after the incident.
• The victim, Ronald Edward Coffman Sr., suffered multiple dog bites from eight pit bulls on the property.
• The property owner, Souffrount's grandmother, was also charged with tampering with evidence after the victim's belongings were found hidden.
• A 59-year-old veteran was killed in a dog mauling on Jacksonville's Westside.
• One of the residents on the property, Melvyn Souffrount, has been charged with manslaughter nearly two years after the incident.
• The victim, Ronald Edward Coffman Sr., suffered multiple dog bites from eight pit bulls on the property.
• The property owner, Souffrount's grandmother, was also charged with tampering with evidence after the victim's belongings were found hidden.

Closing in on two years later, a 59-year-old veteran has been identified in a grisly dog mauling homicide on Jacksonville’s Westside. 

On Tuesday, May 19, the Sheriff’s Office announced that 62-year-old  Melvyn Souffrount was charged with manslaughter for his role in the Aug. 31, 2024, death of Ronald Edward Coffman Sr. 

Little had been released in the investigation of a property in the 6800 block of Ricker Road other than an adult male was located adjacent to the roadway and the case was pending. But TV news reported that the next night police were back at the same spot seizing numerous dogs from around the property and that neighbors said they saw them with shovels.  

The Sheriff’s Office now has stated the victim suffered multiple dog bites.  

“Following a lengthy investigation, it was determined that Souffrount’s multiple and repeated negligent actions and failure to act, led to the victim’s death," the Sheriff's Office said.

While awaiting for the arrest report, the Times-Union has linked the case to another arrest of Souffrount’s grandmother. On Jan. 21, 2025, 86-year-old Mary Irene Smith, who owns the property, was charged with tampering with evidence. Court records show she pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 and will be sentenced in June.  

Her arrest report states that on the morning of the discovery, “M.S.” (Souffrount) had called 911 saying he discovered the body when coming home attempting enter his driveway. When officers arrived, they noted several dogs going to and from the property and jumping over chain-link fences. 

The victim was in the dirt near the driveway “covered in countless injuries from head to toe.” He was unidentifiable and completely nude. There was a “Veteran” ball cap and one flipflop nearby but nothing to identify him. 

Souffrount said he didn’t know who he was, and Smith told officers she didn’t know anything other than what her grandson told her, according to the report. 

Another woman approached the scene and stated she believed him to be one of her roommates, “R.C.” (Coffman). They lived within walking distance on Macbeth Road. She said the two of them went to a nearby Family Dollar at 8 p.m. and then made several stops to purchase narcotics, according to the report. She then dropped him off at a new subdivision being built so he could “dumpster dive” and never saw him again. Security video at the Family Dollar corroborated the account and also showed Coffman wearing the “Veteran” cap and sandals. 

The Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed his identity and that it was an animal attack but also deemed it accidental at the time. During a follow-up search warrant at the Ricker property, Smith made a redacted statement contrary to what she initially said, according to the document. This led to detectives finding a box with the victim’s wallet and clothes ripped and shredded consistent with an animal attack. His cell phone also was located buried in the dirt where his body was found. 

Eight pit bulls were located on the property, and Smith confirmed they were hers and agreed to surrender them to Animal Control. She said the first was a stray that she fed and then the “mama” showed up and became pregnant and had puppies. She said they were gentle to her and Souffrount but “apparently not to other people.” She also confirmed there had been a couple of complaints about them and revealed she did examine the body with her grandson and panicked.