An XL Bully dog was “happy and begging for treats” before it was shot dead by police after attacking two men.
CCTV footage shows the dog, named Zeus, entering a shop with his owner just minutes before launching his offensive in Hamilton, Scotland.
Zeus is spotted wagging his tail and jumping up to the counter to be fed a biscuit.
His owner, said to be known locally as William Hunter, is also seen patting the dog’s head.
An XL Bully dog was ‘happy and begging for treats’ before it was shot dead by police after attacking two men in Scotland
DAILY RECORD
But just minutes later, the “out-of-control” dog attacked his owner, leaving him with “life-threatening injuries” in the area of Tinto View.
He was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital with serious lower limb injuries.
A second man was also injured after Zeus attacked him in Loudonhill Avenue, the next street along.
He was transferred to Hairmyres Hospital in nearby East Kilbride for “minor injuries”.
Local Day Today shopkeeper Numan Saifi said he was left shocked by the series of event after Zeus left the store.
“Zeus was in here with his owner just before the attack. I can’t believe this has happened,” he told the Daily Record.
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“He always seemed calm and friendly.”
Owner Zeeshan Rashid added that Hunter had rescued Zeus from England just two weeks earlier following the ban on XL bullies.
He said: “The dog would come into our shop most days and always seemed very well behaved.
“He would jump up on the counter to get his dog treats and had a little innocent face. He had been rescued a few weeks ago after he was beaten and abandoned.
“You could tell he hasn’t been treated well in the past because he was covered in scars. It’s tragic that this has happened.”
The ‘out-of-control’ dog attacked his owner, leaving him with ‘life-threatening injuries’ in the area of Tinto View
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Locals claim Zeus was stabbed multiple times and tasered by police before he was shot in a bid to save Hunter’s life.
One eyewitness, named Kevin, said: “They were hitting it with stuff and shouting at it to stop, but it was so distressed and angry.
“There was blood everywhere. The owner was covered in blood. His legs, hands and wrists looked badly injured. I phoned the police and when they came the dog was still attacking anyone who went near it. One of the guys managed to get away but the owner was still being attacked.
“Police showed up and tasered him but he still wouldn’t stop.Then armed police then came and he was shot four times. The first two shots didn’t take him out.
“It was awful to witness, but I know why they had to do it. If he hadn’t been killed, he would have killed someone.”