A woman was bitten and her dog suffered serious injuries
Felicity Collinson Head of News
16:04, 28 Jun 2026
Hemlington Lake(Image: Teessidelive)
Police officers were forced to put down a dog following an attack near Hemlington Lake, in which both a woman and her pet sustained injuries.
Cleveland Police confirmed the decision was made “due to the serious nature of the incident and the potential risk to other people in the immediate area”.
A member of the public was reportedly out walking her dog when an ‘unaccompanied Pitbull type dog’ launched an attack. Reports were subsequently made to the force regarding a dog that was dangerously out of control.
Officers confirmed the woman suffered a bite, though her injuries are not thought to be serious. Her dog, however, sustained severe injuries and was rushed into emergency veterinary surgery.
The animal’s current condition remains unknown.
Assistant Chief Constable Dave Sutherland said: “Initial indications are that a member of the public was walking her dog when she was approached by an unaccompanied Pitbull type dog which then attacked her pet.”, reports Teesside Live.
“The lady sustained a dog bite during the incident and thankfully this is not believed to be of a serious nature, however sadly her own dog sustained very serious injuries and was taken to the vet by police officers, where it is currently receiving emergency treatment.
“Unfortunately, due to the serious nature of this incident and the potential risk to other people in the immediate area, our specially trained officers had to put the dog down near the scene. We understand that anyone who witnessed the initial attack or the aftermath may have experienced shock or distress however the safety of the public is always paramount.
“Enquiries are ongoing, and we are appealing for anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Cleveland Police via the 101 number or via the force website. Please quote reference 125672.”
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