A terrifying video of an American XL Bully dog chasing a police officer after it was released by its owner has appeared online.
South Yorkshire Police were at the address of a suspect, with taser guns pointed at the door, when the canine ran towards them.
Footage from the ordeal shows the officers heading towards an open door at the house, while shouting "out, now".
Moments later the large dog hurtles out of the property before attempting to attacks the officers.
It happened at a time the force has been issuing warnings to owners of the controversial breed, with figures showing the amount of dog attacks in the area having doubled in the last five years.
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Data also shows the breed accounts for 25 per cent of all dogs seized in the region since last January.
An XL Bully attacked officers on Yorkshire (South Yorkshire Police / SWNS)
The dog was seen charging out of the door towards officers (South Yorkshire Police / SWNS)Assistant Chief Constable Dan Thorpe, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "We can't ignore the fact that the XL bully breed is disproportionately represented in the number of dog attacks we attend.
"Eight of the dogs seized since January 2022, by South Yorkshire Police are XL bullies.
"Last year, 89 dogs had to be destroyed by police in the immediacy of the incident in order to protect public safety."
ACC Thorpe added: "XL Bully dogs seem to have a high propensity for aggression.
The officers approached the door with taser guns before a dog charged out (South Yorkshire Police / SWNS)"And once they turn, even the most experienced owners have limited ability to do anything about it due to the power and strength of the breed."
One tragic incident saw a woman mauled to death by one of two XL Bullies she bought after she thought they were just "gentle giants".
Joanne Robinson, 43, died after being attacked in her Rotherham home last July, while her partner suffered serious injuries.
Earlier this year, a man was mauled to death by an American XL Bully after it turned on him while he was looking after it for a friend in Leigh, Greater Manchester.
The dog charged out the door towards officers (South Yorkshire Police / SWNS)Jonathon Hogg, who was 37, had entered the dogs' pen when it attacked and left a bite wound on his arm, leg and head.
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The horror attack came after a six-year-old boy in South Yorkshire was scalped by a dog only two weeks after they'd bought it from Facebook.
In March last year, 17-month-old Bella-Rae Birch was killed in her family's home in St Helens, Merseyside, just a week after they bought the dog.
Schoolboy Jack Lis, 10, was killed in an attack by an XL Bully in 2021 while playing at a friend's house in Caerphilly, South Wales.
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said a spike in new dog owners during the Covid pandemic could be responsible for a surge in attacks.
He added: "During the pandemic the number of dogs nationally rose from 9 million to over 12 million, with many people buying dogs for the first time with no prior experience, a lack of socialisation and no access to dog training classes during that time.
"These lockdown puppies have now grown into mature dogs and we are seeing the consequences.
"There are certain breeds that should not be placed in homes with children due to their unpredictability and their predisposed nature to suddenly turn and become aggressive, this becomes more apparent as the dogs reach maturity."
Dr Billings said he has raised his concerns to the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, who are in direct contact with ministers.
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