‘XL Bully’ seen on the loose near M1 as eyewitness launches appeal to catch dog

A motorist travelling from West Bridgford to Rotherham has seen a dog, believed to be an XL Bully, which was “running towards traffic” near the M1 and they have made an appeal to try and catch the animal

A dog believed to be an XL Bully has been seen “running towards traffic” near the M1 with a driver making an appeal to try and catch the animal. The motorist, who wants to remain anonymous was heading from West Bridgford to Rotherham, when they came across the dog at around 2pm on Saturday, April 12, on Clifton Boulevard.

The person was worried as the XL Bully would pose a hazard on the motorway and also for the safety of the animal. “I was on Clifton Boulevard, just as I was getting on the slip road for the M1 northbound,” said the driver.

“The XL Bully was running towards traffic. It can endanger people but it could get run over as well. I thought maybe it's someone's pet who's escaped.”

READ MORE: M1 closed as dog ‘runs loose' with police in pursuit

The driver, who is also a dog owner, described the pet as “light brown in colour and quite young”, estimating the dog could have been one or two years old. The dog also didn't have a collar.

The motorist told Nottinghamshire Live: “No one could stop because it was coming towards traffic. Traffic was slowing down though when passing it. I was shocked to see it on the road like that. It was a big dog. I don't want it to be in danger or the people around it.

“It looked like it didn't have a care in the world, which is why I thought it was quite young. It was just running at a steady pace with its tongue out. It looked healthy. At least it was heading the opposite way from the motorway. I just hope it gets found.”

It comes after there was major disruption for drivers on the M1 on April 9 with a section of the motorway after a dog was reported running loose on the busy road shortly after 9am.

Part of the southbound carriageway was shut, National Highways confirmed, as police desperately attempted to catch the dog. The closure caused major disruption on the roads with a section of the M1 closed between Junction 31 for Worksop and Junction 30 for Sheffield.

Traffic also built up on surrounding routes as drivers attempt to avoid the road closure until it was reopened early in the afternoon. National Highways Yorkshire shared an update on their X account warning drivers of the road closure and urging those setting off to check their route.

The agency shared that the road was closed “due to a dog that is loose and running around the road”. They added that South Yorkshire Police officers “are on scene trying to contain and remove the dog from the road”.

A diversion was put in place with National Highways confirming “traffic officers will be turning traffic around from the rear of the queue in the closure.” In a later update National Highways said the road had reopened, adding: “Closure of the motorway for the dog stood down and traffic has been released. All lanes now open”