An elderly man was bitten several times by a dog while intervening to protect his own pet during an incident in Kew Woods, Southport. The event took place at around 10am on Thursday, according to Merseyside Police.

The man, aged in his 70s, had been walking his dog in the area when a German Shepherd attempted to attack his pet. When he tried to stop the dog’s aggression, the German Shepherd turned on him, inflicting multiple puncture wounds to his wrist. The victim subsequently sought hospital treatment and is now recovering at home.

Following the attack, the German Shepherd and its owner, described as a white man in his 70s, left the scene, reportedly walking away through a nearby Dobbie’s garden centre car park. Police are currently conducting enquiries to locate both the dog and its owner.

Detective Inspector Gavin Mulcahy issued an appeal for witnesses, stating: “We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or knows who the German Shepherd’s owner is to please contact us as a matter of urgency.” He added, “The victim sustained several puncture wounds to his wrist and was in distress. It is imperative that we find the dog so it cannot harm anyone else.”

This incident follows a recent attack in Swindon, where a man in his 50s suffered life-changing injuries after being attacked by a dog. Wiltshire Police reported that firearms officers were dispatched to Exeter Street at about 4:20pm on Sunday after reports of an uncontrollable dog at a property. The dog was sedated and secured, and the owner, a 24-year-old woman, was arrested on suspicion of being responsible for a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

These events coincide with rising concerns over dog attacks, with more than 20,000 such incidents reported to police across England and Wales in the 12 months following the introduction of a ban on the XL Bully breed. The ban, enacted in February last year as part of changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, was implemented after 16 fatalities from dog bites in 2023—more than double the six deaths recorded in 2022. Additionally, there were approximately 11,000 hospital admissions due to dog bites in England during 2023/24.

Source: Noah Wire Services