Owner of pitbulls shot dead by police for biting shoppers is charged

A man has been charged with allowing dogs to be dangerously out of control after police shot two pitbull-type dogs on Sunday.

A pack of five dogs attacked a man and a woman in the street in Bolton, Greater Manchester, forcing police to step in and shoot them dead. Video footage of the event shows terrified shoppers trying to fend off the dogs using chairs.

Daniel Hennessy, 39, was charged last night and will appear before Bolton Magistrates Court later today, April 4th.

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Greater Manchester Police issued a statement, saying, “Daniel Hennessy, 39, of Curzon Road, Halliwell, Bolton, was this evening charged with two counts of allowing dogs to be dangerously out of control and one count of affray.”

Police attended the scene in Queens’ Park in Chorley New Road after receiving reports that five dogs were dangerously out of control.

A woman in her 40s had been bitten on the hand and a man was also found with bite injuries on his legs; emergency services attended to the two victims.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that armed officers had “humanely destroyed” two of the dogs, and seized two more. The fifth dog is still on the loose.

It’s not known exactly what breed the dogs were but they are thought to be somewhere in the pitbull family. Pitbull terriers are specifically named in the Dangerous Dogs Act (including cross-breeds) and are meant to be kept muzzled and on a lead in public places.