Sophie Zaherali, who was not present when her dog, Ghost, went on a rampage in Hillsborough, Sheffield, has been convicted after claiming police had wrongfully shot dead the animal
An XL Bully owner whose dog was shot dead after it went on a broad daylight rampage has been found guilty after claiming police wrongfully killed her pet.
Ghost the dog sparked a massive police response in December 2024 when he bit a woman and started running loose in Hillsborough, Sheffield. Armed South Yorkshire Police officers raced to the scene after the dog became aggressive towards a second woman, and they were forced to shoot Ghost after it ran towards them “to end and mitigate the risk it posed to the public”.
Ghost’s owner, 31-year-old Sophie Zaherali, argued the dog was friendly, and claimed police had wrongfully killed him. But Zaherali, who was not at the scene at the time of the incident, has been found guilty after she was charged for her response to the shooting.
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She denied being the owner of a dog that was dangerously out of control-no injury, Yorkshire Live reports, but admitted to an offence relating to the malicious communications about a police officer. After the dog was shot she had posted pictures on social media “in an attempt to identify the firearms officer involved”.
As a result, she was charged with sending by public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing message/matter.
Zaherali admitted to the malicious communications offence while denying the dangerous dogs charge. She was found guilty by the court on both charges. A spokesperson for the force said in a statement that officers do not make the decision to shoot a dog “lightly”, adding that tjey would prioritise the “safety of the community”.
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They said: “The decision to shoot a dog is one never taken lightly by our officers. They are highly trained and carry out risk assessments, and observations of the tactics available to them and the situation they are in.
“Our aim will always be to safely contain any animal, but the safety of the community and officers is always our priority.” Firearms Inspector Steve Usher said that South Yorkshire Police have “witnessed and attempted to save the lives of people mauled by their own animals”.
He said: “Dogs are the responsibility of their owners, and they are the ones who will be held responsible for their animal’s actions. Sadly, in South Yorkshire, our officers have witnessed and attempted to save the lives of people mauled by their own animals.
“Everyone’s safety will always be our priority.” Zaherali will appear before the same court on December 16 for sentencing.
