Protestors gathered outside Snig Hill Police Station in Sheffield over the shooting of XL Bully Ghos (Image: Sheffield Star / SWNS)
Around 30 people protested outside Snig Hill Police station, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, over the shooting of a dog named Ghost by armed officers.
The dog was killed in Hillsborough on December 7 after the force said it received a 999 call claiming that a woman had been bitten.
South Yorkshire Police said at the time that although the woman “was not injured” – a decision was made to “humanely dispatch the dog at the scene” due to the “significant risk posed”.
However, the incident has been widely condemned by the Hillsborough community – with supporters saying there was “no justification” for Ghost’s death.
Meanwhile, friends and family of Ghost’s owners said they have seen “no evidence” from police that anyone was bitten – and claim the dog was a gentle animal with no history of aggression.
They carried signs which insisted upon “justice for Ghost” and claimed “It’s not the truth until you show the proof.”
They also called for an end to the force using fire arms officers to shoot dogs.
The shooting of XL Bully Ghost sparked protests (Image: Sheffield Star / SWNS)
Sandra Odelga, who runs a Facebook group which support residents whose dogs are killed by police tactics, was present at the protest.
She said: “It seems to me there was no justification here.
“We have seen no evidence anyone was bitten by Ghost that day.
“We’re here because we want justice for Ghost. We want police to admit they unlawfully killed him and to get his body back.
“Dogs are members of the family too and the bereavement of losing them is as much as if you lost a family member.”
It is also understood that as of January 4 – nearly a month after the shooting – Ghost’s body has not been released back to his family.
In February 2024, it became illegal to keep an XL Bully dog in the UK without a Certificate of Exemption.
It also became an offence to sell, abandon, give away, or breed an XL Bully – as well as to have one in public without a lead and muzzle.
The shooting of XL Bully Ghost sparked protests (Image: Sheffield Star / SWNS)
More than a dozen dogs have been shot dead by South Yorkshire Police in the past year.
In a statement, Chief Inspector Emma Cheney said: “Dangerous dogs continue to be an emerging threat to our communities and are placing unprecedented demand on our force.
“During 2024, over 1,000 people were injured by dogs across South Yorkshire and our priority remains to keep the public and officers safe.
“All our officers and staff within the control room have received training in safeguarding those living with or in the proximity of reported dangerous dogs.
“Our frontline officers have received additional training in responding to incidents involving dangerous dogs.
“Firearms officers and dog handlers have received specialised training in containing dangerous dogs as well as additional equipment.
“As a force, we have invested in equipment to assist in containing and seizing dogs and as part of our commitment to protecting the public and our officers in attendance, we are constantly reviewing our operation tactics, learning from other forces and sourcing equipment.”