A PSNI officer has sustained an injury after being attacked by a dog in Belfast.
Footage of the incident has been shared online, showing the officer being bitten on the foot by the powerful dog while another officer attempts to stop the attack with a baton.
The terrifying incident happened at a property in the Silverstream Avenue area of north Belfast last week, and is now being investigated by Belfast City Council’s dog wardens.
In the footage captured by a security camera, two PSNI officers can be seen calling at the door of a house, before the door opens and the dog emerges and bites the female officer on the foot.
She struggles to get away from the animal, while her colleague attempts to strike it on the head with a baton.
The male officer shouts for a householder to control the dog, and a woman can be seen striking it with a broom, before pulling it by the tail in a bid to stop the attack.
However, the dog’s jaws remain clamped on the officer, who manages to get outside the gate of the property. The male officer tries to close the gate between his partner and the dog, while the householder hits the dog on the head with the baton.
After struggling for almost two minutes, the attack ends when the dog pulls the boot from the officer’s foot.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “The officer sustained an injury to her foot after the dog latched onto her boot. Another officer who was present at the time of the dog attack thankfully was not injured.
“The dog warden has been contacted in relation to this report and enquiries remain ongoing.”
A Belfast City Council spokesperson confirmed its dog warden service had been made aware of the incident, adding: “We cannot comment further while this investigation is ongoing.”
Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), Liam Kelly, called it a “traumatising incident” for the officer involved.
“The ferocity and intensity of the attack was there for all to see. It was only when the officer’s boot was torn from her foot that she was able to make good her escape,” he said.
“An investigation is currently underway in conjunction with Belfast City Council and we await the outcome of that.
“My thoughts and best wishes are with this officer, who was required to attend hospital for treatment to her injured foot, and her colleague. They are both receiving support from their local management, Federation representatives and work colleagues.
“This is just another example of the dangers our officers face on a daily basis when carrying out their duties.”
