Woman arrested after loose dog allegedly bit two children in Bolton

According to People, a 47-year-old woman in Bolton, England, was arrested on Jan. 9 on suspicion of having a dog dangerously out of control after two children were bitten by a loose dog on Halliwell Road on Jan. 5.

Greater Manchester Police said the two children were taken to a local hospital for treatment and have since been discharged. The dog was seized and taken to a kennel for assessment, and the woman is in custody for questioning.

The arrest came days after a separate incident in Bolton on Jan. 7, when officers received a report of an out-of-control dog biting a woman on Wolfenden Street; that dog was seized and one person was arrested and later released on bail. GMP said the owner arrested in that case was not walking the dog at the time but has a duty to ensure it is under control, and police said they are still trying to identify the person who was walking the dog. Police confirmed the two cases were unrelated and involved different dogs.

Authorities have not disclosed the breeds involved. The incidents occur amid national measures such as the December 2023 addition of XL bullies to the list of banned dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act and the February 2024 criminalization of owning an XL bully without an exemption certificate, per the BBC; police data collected by the BBC show dog attacks in England and Wales have increased by 34% over the past five years.

Key Topics

World, Bolton, Greater Manchester Police, Halliwell Road, Wolfenden Street, Dangerous Dogs Act