London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Sep 13, 2026

Dog seized after attack on police horse in east London

Dog seized after attack on police horse in east London

Police told owners ‘Keep dogs on a lead if you can’t recall them or get them under control’

The owner of moment an out-of-control dog who savaged two police horses in an east London park has insisted she is “so friendly” and it wasn’t her fault.

Hakan Niyazi’s American Bully Coco clamps its jaws on a Metropolitan Police animal in shocking footage filmed on Wednedsay.

Two policemen on horseback were on patrol in Victoria Park, Hackney when an off-lead dog charged at one of their horses Urbane biting down on his legs.

Viral footage, viewed more than 220,000 times on TikTok, appears to show the mounted officers scream “can someone get hold of the dog, for f***s sake” and “hit it”.

The police horse stumbles and kicks out at the canine, believed to be American Bulldog XL.


One man tries to break the bully’s grip with a large branch.

The dog is eventually pulled off the bucking horse and held down by a “brave” passerby.

The officers bark: “Get that lead on the dog now.”

The dog was taken away by officers and is still in police kennels.

College sturnet Hakan, who is in his mid-20s, told The Sun: “It might look like I wasn’t doing much but I was trying my hardest. I tried to grab her.

“She was intimidated by the horse. She felt threatened.

“I thought the horse was going to kick me. If it kicks me I’m dead. If it killed me then people would be feeling sorry for me.”

He criticised the have-a-go-hero passer-by who stepped in to help, using a long stick to keep the dog at bay.

“The guy was rude,” said Hakan who has had Coco for around a year.

“I was so angry at the time. He said I didn’t do nothing. I tried.

“I reciprocate energy. If you’re rude to me I will be rude back to you.

“He was angry. He was swearing, being rude. I was trying my hardest.”

Hakan described the dog as “so friendly”, claiming he couldn’t understand what had happened because Coco has been around horses before.

He added: “I’ve been stressing about it all night. She’s my pride and joy. That’s the only thing that keeps me sane. My little girl.

“She’s so friendly. With any human she’s so good. I don’t know why it happened.

“I want it to go to court. I want to have my say.

“That stuff never happened before. Next time I know not to take my dog off a lead.”

The owner has not been arrested.

Horse Urbane was taken to the vets for stitches to his belly and legs but will be back on duty “as soon as he has fully recovered”, police said.

A witness told The Sun: “It was shocking and scary. You could tell it was bad.

“I spotted the dog and the body language was way too interested in the horses and was going over to antagonise them.”

The marketing worker added: “Eventually there’s one brave witness who grabbed the dog but then the owner takes his time to go over and put the dog on the lead.

“I was apologetic that I couldn’t do anything but I was keeping my own dog on the lead and under control.”


A Met Police Taskforce spokesperson tweeted: “PH Urbane from Bow was attacked by a dog off the lead in #VictoriaPark yesterday.

“We can’t stress enough how important it is to keep dogs on a lead if you can’t recall them or get them under control. Huge thanks to members of public who tried to help Urbane.

“He has been to the vets and is having some well-earned recuperation. He will hopefully be back on duty as soon as he has fully recovered but not before.”

A Met spokeswoman said: “On Wednesday, 22 March a dog was seized in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, after it attacked a police horse.

“The horse required stitches and is expected to return to duty following its recovery.

“The dog remains in police kennels and officers are in contact with its owner

“No arrests have been made.

“Enquiries continue.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bayeux Tapestry Draws Large Crowds at British Museum
Cuts to International Aid Raise Concerns Over Fragile Overseas Health Systems
UK Airlines and Logistics Operators Adjust Capacity as Fuel Costs Rise
UK Mortgage Arrears Edge Lower in Second Quarter
UK Government Advances New Devolution Offers for English Councils
UK Parliament Begins Debate on NHS Governance and Single Patient Record Reforms
Andy Burnham Launches Number 10 North Devolution Initiative
UK Parliament Rejects Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults
UK Bans Goods From Israeli Settlements in the Occupied West Bank
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Technology Services Strengthen
Metropolitan Police Continue Investigation Into Reform UK Political Financing
Chinese Crypto Entrepreneur Leon Li Identified as Seller of £190 Million London Mansion
Trades Union Congress Proposes Social Energy Tariff Funded by Higher Bank Surcharge
British Chambers of Commerce Calls for State Pension Triple Lock to Be Scrapped
Anthropic Says Claude Helped Disrupt Biological Weapons and Cyber Espionage Threats
UK Imposes Sanctions Over Israeli Settlements and West Bank Violence
UK Reimposes Sectoral Sanctions on Iran’s Aviation, Shipping and Energy Networks
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as AI and Programming Services Lift Activity
UK House of Commons Rejects Assisted Dying Bill by 286 Votes to 270
UK Reviews Nationwide Emergency Alert Tests After Systems Meet Reliability Targets
UK Seeks Faster Rail Links Across Northern Industrial Corridors
British Business Bank Allocates £150 Million for High-Growth Companies in Northern England
BBC Warns Staff Strikes Are Possible Amid Pay Dispute and £500 Million Savings Drive
UK Backs Short Extension of UN Sudan Sanctions Regime
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Defends Early Prison Release Reforms and Growth Strategy
Reform UK Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Effort to Circumvent Foreign Donation Rules
UK Analysts Warn Tax Rises or Spending Cuts May Be Needed to Preserve Fiscal Headroom
Jaguar Land Rover Plans Up to 4,000 Job Cuts in £1.7 Billion Cost-Saving Drive
UK Chancellor Warns of Difficult October Budget as Borrowing Costs Rise
UK Declares Israeli Occupation of West Bank Unlawful and Expands Sanctions
UK House of Commons Rejects Assisted Dying Bill for England and Wales
English Councils to Gain Power to Introduce Tourist Taxes by 2028
Kemi Badenoch Reshuffles Conservative Shadow Cabinet
Firefighters Make Progress Containing Major Wildfires in South Wales
John Lewis Partnership Reports £124 Million Loss
Study Says UK AI Data Centres Will Create Only a Quarter of Forecast Jobs
UK Government Considers Higher Industrial Water Prices Amid Supply Pressures
Andy Burnham Holds First Call With Donald Trump as UK Prime Minister
NHS Records Busiest Summer on Record as Heatwaves Drive Hospital Admissions
Home Secretary Orders Police Crackdown on Far-Right Anti-Migrant Vigilantes
UK Supreme Court Rules Northern Ireland Religious Education Curriculum Breaches Human Rights Standards
Markets Price in Four Bank of England Rate Rises by Next Summer
House of Commons Prepares Free Vote on Assisted Dying Bill
UK Government Bans Trade With Israeli Settlements in Occupied Territories
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Artificial Intelligence Investment Supports Expansion
Andy Burnham Becomes UK Prime Minister After Keir Starmer Resigns
John Lewis Partnership Loss Widens to £124 Million
UK Government to Put White Working-Class Social Mobility at Centre of Equality Policy
McLaren Plans £450 Million Technology Investment Creating 1,000 UK Jobs
UK Chancellor Faces Calls for Wealth Taxes and Public Ownership in Autumn Budget
×