South Yorkshire Police said the XL Bully that escaped in Sheffield on Thursday night hasn’t been found yet as the force urged people to avoid approaching the dog
An “aggressive” XL Bully that managed to evade capture despite being shot by the police is still on the loose in Sheffield.
The dog escaped in the Hillfoot area when armed police rushed to the scene, following reports of a gun being fired at a property on Thursday night. Officers found the dog at the property, along with two other XL Bullys, and fired a shot before the animal escaped.
South Yorkshire Police said it was doing all it could to find the animal, but in an update this evening, a spokesperson for the force confirmed the dog was still at large. Police urged locals to be on the lookout, avoid approaching the dog, and contact them if they spot the animal.
READ MORE: ‘Aggressive’ XL Bully on the loose in Sheffield after being shot at by police and escaping
Police said forensic analysis of blood at the scene suggested the XL Bully was injured before it fled. The force confiscated two other dogs and took them to police kennels.
Officers said they contacted veterinary practices across the city in attempt to locate the dog, which they believe “has the ability to show aggression and cause harm” to the public. Police said in a statement: “Shooting a dog is never a decision taken lightly by our armed officers.
“During what was already a challenging incident, and the risk posed, the decision was made to shoot the dog to progress finding a suspect and weapon and protecting our communities. We now believe the dog to have suffered injuries and are urging the public to be vigilant for a loose XL Bully, but also one that may have succumb to its injuries or been taken somewhere for treatment.
“We have contacted all veterinary practices as part of our enquiries but continue to ask anyone who has received a dog into their care, they believe could be this dog to come forward. If you see the dog, we continue to urge you not to approach it, as we believe it has the ability to show aggression and cause harm.”
On Friday, South Yorkshire Police’s Chief Superintendent for Sheffield Jamie Henderson added: “I would like to assure you that we are doing all we can to locate the dog or find those who may have housed it to evade police contact.
“We appreciate people in our communities being vigilant, and I ask that you get in touch immediately if you see the dog. I urge you not to approach the dog, as we believe it has the ability to show aggression and cause harm.
“If you do see the dog, please call 999 immediately, if you have information about its whereabouts, please get in touch online, via live chat or by calling 101 quoting incident number 948 of 3 April 2025.”
Owning an XL Bully dog without a valid Certificate of Exemption became a criminal offence In England and Wales on February 1 last year.
The deadline to apply for a Certificate of Exemption was July 31, 2024.
The XL Bully breed was added to the Dangerous Dogs list following a string of deadly incidents, having been involved in at least 16 fatal attacks in the UK in 2023 alone.