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Woman Claims 'Life-Changing Injuries' After Police Dog Bite at Bristol Rave

An investigation has been launched after a woman said she sustained “life-changing injuries” after being bitten by a police dog at an illegal rave in Bristol, United Kingdom, on October 31, British media reported.

Jessica Mae Andrews told The Independent that the dog had bitten her without warning as she was dancing at the event in Yate, just outside Bristol.

“The dog came out of nowhere, grabbed me by the thigh and pulled me to the floor,” she told the newspaper in an interview published November 21. “After biting through my thigh, it let go then and started to maul me again – this time biting my calf and foot where it did the most damage,” Andrew said.

Andrew was taken to hospital following the attack, where she was reported to have undergone reconstructive surgery involving skin and muscle grafts.

The footage here shows the moments of the incident. Andrew is seen on the ground, surrounded by police, as a dog bites at her leg, and as a line of officers in riot gear faces toward the remaining revellers.

Storyful is seeking comment from Avon and Somerset Police regarding the incident.

The police service did release a statement about the rave on November 24, in which they said 12 people had been arrested and two organizers had been given £10,000 fixed penalty notices. The press release included body-worn camera footage from police as they entered the rave, and an appeal for help identifying people who were at the event.

The statement included no mention of the incident involving Andrew and the police dog.

At least 500 people were estimated to have accessed the premises by the time officers established a cordon, the statement said, adding that officers “were pelted with items, including bottles, as they dealt with the incident (…) and deserve credit for the courageous and professional manner in which they handled it.” Credit: Anonymous via Storyful