Man admits ownership of dangerously out-of-control XL bullies following Sheffield attack

An individual has acknowledged owning two XL bully dogs that were dangerously out of control, which attacked and injured a pedestrian and their dog in Sheffield. Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that the XL bullies, named Cookie and Saga, had escaped from Macaulay Harrison’s residence before the incident occurred on Handsworth Road on 3 December. Magistrates were informed that the dogs inflicted neck injuries on a collie, while its owner sustained hand injuries when attempting to separate the animals. Harrison, 28, of New Cross Walk, Sheffield, was issued a 12-month community order, instructed to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £500 in compensation. The court was told that police were compelled to destroy Cookie and Saga due to safety concerns for emergency services and the wider public. The collie, identified as Oscar, required emergency veterinary treatment, with bills totaling £4,677, according to prosecutor Lizzie Payne. In a victim impact statement presented to the court, Oscar’s owner expressed distress about the event and stated he could not “get the image of the two dogs attacking Oscar out of my head”. Erika Hradecka, representing Harrison, stated that three XL bullies had managed to escape after Harrison’s children accidentally left the door open. The court heard that two of the dogs attacked Oscar, while the third dog was not involved and subsequently returned to Harrison’s partner, who is its owner. Ms Hradecka informed magistrates that Harrison had rescued Saga from an abusive owner when the dog was seven months old and adopted Cookie when the dog was seven weeks old. “He says both dogs were very friendly, even when other people came to the house,” Ms Hradecka told the court. “He can’t pinpoint what happened on the day.” She mentioned that the loss of his two dogs had affected Harrison’s sleep and weight, and added that he was “very remorseful”. “This couldn’t be prevented, this couldn’t be foreseen,” she said. “It was a one-off incident, they were family dogs, loved dogs by the whole family.” However, during Harrison’s sentencing, magistrates told him: “You are ultimately responsible for the safekeeping of the dogs and on this occasion you failed.”