Out-of-control American Bulldog ATTACKED me after I moaned about its barking – cops had to shoot it dead

Scottish Sun

24-05-2025

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A "DANGEROUSLY out-of-control" dog was shot dead after attacking multiple people, including a man who complained to the owner about its barking.
Christian Ryan, 36, said two hounds had attacked him, his mum and his sister in the horrifying incident - before it was gunned down as it charged at a cop.
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Christian was left with bruising on his thigh and had to visit hospital
Credit: Supplied
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Christian's injuries have since healed well
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He was left with huge jaw marks in his leg which needed urgent hospital treatment.
The owner of the American Bulldog - initially thought to be an XL Bully - and a German Shepherd moved into a house near to Christian's in Manchester, earlier this year.
Multiple complaints were lodged with the the owner of the dogs, the police and the housing provider about their behaviour, The Sun understands.
It is alleged the two dogs previously tore apart children's clothes, shoes and high chairs and barked "until 5am".
A specialist came to identify the dogs after several complaints were made.
Christian went over to her house several times to complain about the dogs' aggressive behaviour and loud barking which he says worsened his narcolepsy and aggravated his cataplexy.
Others are believed to have wanted to confront the owner about her dogs but were too afraid of the aggressive hounds to take action, Christian says.
He claims he had been "extremely patient" with her since she moved in in January.
He said: 'I started to feel strongly about this, its only a matter of time before the dog does something else.
"The dog attacked another neighbour, he has attacked another woman in the park.
Expert explains why current XL Bully dog legislation isn't fit for purpose
"Both dogs tried to attack another lady's dog in the park and she had to hold it above her head. It's more than me that had a problem with this dog.
"I'm the only one that had the balls to say something to her. I had enough. It was too much, when you hear the barking it is a lot.'
In the early hours of Saturday (May 3) Christian went to the house to complain once again after the dogs were left outside barking all night.
He says he found the dogs out of control and an argument with the owner quickly became heated and Christian's sister then called the police - but as she did the dogs attacked him.
Christian's sister and mum came to intervene and were also attacked by the dogs, who lunged at the family, including biting the former several times.
Shockingly, the two dogs then turned on their owner and can be seen in video footage seen by The Sun knocking her to the ground as Christian's family make a getaway and he attempts to help the owner.
Dog attacks in the UK
Police forces recorded 30,539 offences of a dog injuring a person or guide dog in 2023 a 21 per cent rise on the previous year, when 25,291 were logged.
In 2024, the figure rose again to 32,568 - a 4 per cent increase.
According to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, there were 16 deaths due to dog attacks in 2023, a sharp rise from preceding years where the number had been in single figures.
Between 2021 and 2023, around half of fatal dog attacks were caused by a single breed, the American XL Bully.
In December 2023, it was the first breed to be added to the Dangerous Dogs Act act since 1991, making it illegal to sell, breed, abandon, or give away an XL Bully.
Christian believes that the two aggressive dogs managed to bite or attack the four people in a 15-minute period.
He said: 'The dogs are going to attack me, my mum and sister are screaming.
'I've had to fight these dogs because there was no alternative. Both of them are jumping at me.
'I'm having to kick them or punch them or whatever I could possibly do, I ended up in the... garden to get away, I've staggered in and thought I could shut the gate.
'I've never heard my mum scream like that, it was the most horrific thing I've ever gone through in my life."
Armed police officers in an unmarked car arrived some time later after the owner had managed to get the violent hounds into her house and close the door.
I've had to fight these dogs because there was no alternative. Both of them are jumping at me.
Christian Ryan
As one of the officers approached the door, gun drawn, the door was flung open and the American bulldog ran out towards the cop who gunned it down.
Dramatic doorbell footage shows the officer later telling his partner he "had to do it".
Christian said: 'The officer jumped out and bam, within 60 seconds the dog's been shot.
'It happened that quick that his partner didn't have time to get there when the dog was shot.
'The first officer jumped out with the gun, he's already running, he's gone 'where's the dog now?' And he's ran to the door, we've pointed him to."
Footage captured on Ring doorbell cameras shows the firearms officer holding the door shut as the aggressive German Shepherd tries to escape the house.
The dead American bulldog can be seen in the background.
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Footage shows Christian fending off the two dogs with punches and kicks
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The dogs turned on their owner eventually with Christian heroically trying to defend the dog owner
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The large dog could be seen dead at the feet of the firearms officer
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Christian and his family, standing nearby, are then turned on by the cops in the video, who appear to point their guns at his mum before he stepped in front of her with his hands up.
Christian said: 'He's (the officer) saying 'stay over there', at that point he's pointing the gun, I've just jumped in front of my mum, I've got my hands up while my mum is literally having a panic attack.
'While this is happening I've got my hands up in the air trying to calm my mum down saying, It's just a taser.
'When I was stood there and he's gone 'don't move', I thought the tension was that high that a mistake was about to arise."
The owner of the dogs was arrested inside her home the same night and is alleged to have assaulted the firearms officer when she was taken into custody.
She was detained on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and being in possession of a dog dangerously out of control - though the German Shepherd has been left in her possession.
She has since been released on bail under strict conditions which include a no contact order for Christian and an order to walk her remaining dog on a leash.
Christian, who was left "traumatised" by the attack, is struggling to have the owner's bail conditions amended after she was released with her German Shepherd back to the same address.
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Christian said the nail on his thumb was ripped off during the attack
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Christian has made several complaints about the German shepherd since it attacked him
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He hopes to have the remaining dog seized so that it cannot attack anyone else.
He alleges that both the now dead American bulldog and the German Shepherd have attacked other dogs and people in the past.
He has lodged complaints with the police about the German Shepherd and is hoping to have stricter bail conditions placed on the owner and the aggressive dog taken from her care.
Making several complaints to the Greater Manchester Police and contacting his local MP about the incident, Christian has yet to hear back from the authorities.
He said: 'They've arrested her and left the German shepherd there, they got the dog handler to assess the German shepherd and they didn't realise that it was also part of the attack because they were so focussed on the bulldog."
Which dog breeds are banned in the UK?
THERE are specific regulations in place that prohibit certain dog breeds from being owned or bred in the UK.
So what are the illegal dogs in the UK and why are they illegal? Here's what we know.
Which dog breeds are illegal in the UK?
People tend to think of large, vicious dogs when they imagine being bitten by one.
But the truth is that many types of dogs are known to bite humans, whether provoked or not.
However, it's important to remember that just because a breed tends to bite humans, that doesn't mean that they all do.
British law determines five breeds of dog are illegal to own, breed, sell or give away.
These are an XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
He added that he has been told to get an injunction against the dog owner, adding: 'They were going to bail her to the house knowing that we are literally on the same street. The German shepherd was still there.
'Her bail conditions are to not contact me directly or indirectly and not walk her dog off the leash.
'She returned back to the house, collects her dog and then goes to another house.'
Christian is currently appealing for stricter bail conditions, hoping the German shepherd will be seized from its owner and trying to get police, who are probing the incident, to visit him to collect further statements.
Christian says that he, his mum and his sister were left traumatised by the incident.
He believes the firearms officers acted rashly in shooting the dog and wants to lodge a complaint about officers pointing their guns at him and his family.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "At around 1am on the morning of Saturday 3 May, officers received a call regarding reports of two dogs dangerously out of control and attacking a man on Penfield Close, Manchester.
"Specialist officers were deployed to the scene and due to the threat of ongoing risk and harm posed by one of the dogs, it was destroyed at the scene.
"One woman was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a dog dangerously out of control and assaulting an emergency worker. She has since been bailed under strict conditions.
"The injuries sustained during the incident were thankfully not life-threatening. Enquiries are currently ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.
"Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or gmp.police.uk, quoting log 206 of 03/05/25."