A man in his 30s has been left hospitalised with injuries to his stomach and arm after a dog attack, police said, as armed units were scrambled to reports of two animals on the loose in HillsideJamie Greer , Ben Haslam and Joe Smith News Reporter
14:58, 07 Apr 2026Updated 15:42, 07 Apr 2026
Forensic officers on Lynton Road, Hillside, Southport after a dog attack(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Armed officers shot and killed a dog earlier today after a man was attacked in Merseyside.
Armed response officers scrambled to the Hillside area at around 10.45am today to reports of two dogs on the loose on Lynton Road.
A man in his 30s suffered injuries to his stomach and arm during the attack, police said. The man remains hospitalised after the attack. He is being treated for his injuries although they are not believed to be serious, Merseyside Police said.
A second man, believed to be in his 70s, was approached aggressively by the two dogs but did not suffer any injuries, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Armed police officers attended the scene alongside specialist dog officers. A spokesperson for the force said in order to prevent further harm and stop threat to the public, a decision was made to destroy one of the dogs at the scene.
A police firearm was discharged during the incident. The second dog was detained by dog patrols. The force said there is no threat to the wider public.
Merseyside Police crime scene(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A cordon remains in place on Lynton Road, with one neighbour telling how she heard shots being fired as officers cornered a dog on the road.
Another neighbour said he heard two gunshots ring out during the incident. Paul Taylor who was carrying out work on one house on the road said: “I was outside and loads of police turned up, including armed police.
“A police woman shouted at me to get inside and shut the doors.”
Kath Moore, 78, who lives on the road, said: “I went outside to put something in my bin and there were loads of police.
“A police woman then told me to get in [the house] and loads more police arrived.”
Forensic officers were seen on Lynton Road, with an investigation underway. The force did not say anyone had been arrested at this time.