South Yorkshire Police have warned pet owners to “step in before someone dies” after receiving 13 reports of dangerous dogs in less than 48 hours.

A man was attacked by his own American bulldog in Sheffield on Thursday afternoon, the force said, when he tried to separate it from a pickpocket inside a property.

The owner suffered injuries to his face, neck and head and was taken to hospital, while his dog was impounded and remains in the police kennel.

Warning: disturbing images below

Another incident saw a woman walking home with her baby in a carrier on her chest when she was accosted by an XL thug who began to show aggression and jump on her child.

An elderly woman and her grandson were attacked by another loose dog in Sheffield.

“As dogs causing harm and fear in our communities continue to place a significant demand on our forces, we are urging owners to step up before someone dies,” South Yorkshire Police said in a statement.

The warning comes after a 10-year-old child Savannah Bentham was murdered at her family home in North Yorkshire by their dog on November 1.

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Chief Inspector Emma Cheney, who leads dangerous dog work in South Yorkshire, said: “Recently we have unfortunately seen another fatal incident in the UK of a dog causing death.

“People think it won’t happen to them, that their dog won’t hurt them, but it can happen to anyone. Any dog ​​can cause fear and harm, and owners who do not step up and prevent harm to our communities will not. tolerated.

“You are responsible for your dog’s actions and we continue to take people to court.

“We only have a limited number of resources, attending dangerous dog incidents takes officers away from other calls. If every owner steps up and makes small changes, we can make a difference.”