Video footage captured the moment police seized a large dog after it attacked a puppy in Croydon, south London.
Armed officers were videoed trying to take the pet off the man outside a Sainsbury’s store on High Street at around 1.50pm on Sunday afternoon, following reports it was out of control.
They then detained the owner while he was lying on the floor, as several people watched on from across the road.
Some members of the public were then heard arguing about what had taken place, with one suggesting the victim was a six-month old puppy.
One onlooker said that the owner was showing signs of drunkenness when approached by officers.
Police confiscated a large dog off an owner in Croydon following reports that it had attacked a puppy
Video footage captured the moment officers arrested the man as he was lying on the floor, while telling him his pet was ‘out of control’
Several onlookers were videoed witnessing the incident on Croydon High Street on Sunday afternoon
The man was eventually led away down a side street away from the crowds after police took away the dog
He told that eight police officers had attended the incident, and took the owner down a side street away from the crowds after confiscating the dog.
He said: ‘The crowd was beginning to get a bit restless as the police were taking away the dog. Some were saying: “Shame on you”.
‘According to some, this big dog was out of control in a public place and it had attacked a smaller dog. The dog owner was clearly drunk.
‘There was eight of them [police] there with guns. They confiscated the dog, and it looked like they had arrested the owner. They took him down a side street.’
He added that a police woman had told the crowd watching that the man had not yet been arrested and that the dog would be returned to the owner.
Metropolitan Police confirmed that the dog owner had been arrested and the dog seized.
A spokesperson for the force said: ‘Police were called at 13:50hrs on Sunday, 22 October to the vicinity of Katherine Street in Croydon following reports of a dog attacking another dog.
‘Officers, including firearms officers, attended. The dogs and their owners were located.
‘A man was arrested on suspicion of having a dog dangerously out of control. His dog has been seized.’