One-year-old boy taken to hospital after dog lunges at pushchair
A one-year-old boy has been left with facial injuries after a dog lunged at his pushchair and bit him, police have said.
The boy, who has not been named, sustained two small puncture wounds and some grazing to his face after the dog jumped at the pushchair the tot was in.
Officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary were called out to Shirley Precinct in Southampton at around 3.20pm on Friday 21 August to reports that a dog, thought to be a German Shepherd, had bitten the boy.
The little boy was taken to hospital following the incident.
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The force is now attempting to identify who was responsible for the dog at the time of the incident.
Police have released CCTV images of a woman who they say they would like to speak to as part of their investigation and the dog.
The woman is described as white, 5ft 7ins tall, and of large build.
The dog is said to have been wearing a soft mesh-style muzzle.
A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary statement said: “Since this was reported to us, officers have been carrying out enquiries and are working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
“We are hoping to speak with a woman, who may have information which could help with our enquiries.
“She has been described as: White, 5ft 7ins tall, of large build. The dog, believed to be a German Shepherd, was wearing a soft mesh-style muzzle.
“If this is you, or if you know the woman, please call police on 101, quoting 44260407684.
“Also, if you witnessed the incident, or have any relevant information, please contact us.”
Dog attack in the UK rose last year
Back in April, the Daily Mirror released figures that show dog attacks resulting in injuries had soared more than 80 percent since 2020.
The data showed that police recorded offences had risen from 16,040 in 2020 to 29,400 last year, a staggering 83 percent increase.
The numbers continued to rise despite the UK introducing a ban on XL bullies in February 2024.
London had the highest number of dog attacks in 2025, with 2,530 cases, followed by Greater Manchester with 1,678.
Dr Sam Gaines, Head of Companion Animals for the RSPCA, said the figures were ‘heartbreaking’ and suggested that current laws didn’t go far enough.
He told the Mirror: "It is absolutely heartbreaking that serious bite incidents are continuing to increase - underlining that current legislation simply isn't working and has been failing public safety for too long.
“The fact that incidents like these persist highlights that the UK Government urgently needs to adopt a different approach, towards preventing dangerous behaviours, rather than focusing on the dog’s individual breed.”
Dr Carri Westgarth, a Professor in Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Liverpool, told the publication there was no single factor driving the increase but instead she said it was caused by a range of issues including more dog ownership, a lack of resources when it came to training, and people listening to self-style ‘dog trainers’ on TikTok for advice.
Claire Reid