Two people have been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after a dog attack in Pwllheli, north Wales. Officers attended an address in the Rhoshirwaun area just before 11.30am on Friday, and two other people suffered minor injuries, North Wales police said. The dog involved has been destroyed but has not yet been examined by a vet to establish the breed. Another 37 dogs and a number of cats have been seized from the address, and a police presence remains in the area while inquiries continue. Chief Supt Sian Beck said: “We understand this was a concerning incident in the local area and wish to reassure the community that there is no further risk to the wider public. “We have launched a joint investigation with the RSPCA and are appealing for anyone who may have information about the dogs located at the property to contact us. “We would like to thank members of the local community for their patience and support whilst we were in attendance at this incident.” Anyone with any information that may help has been asked to contact police by calling 101. There have been a spate of dog attacks in recent months and the number of incidents recorded by police in England and Wales has increased by more than a third in the past five years, a BBC investigation found earlier this year. There were nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury last year, compared with just over 16,000 in 2018. Fatalities from dog attacks have also increased sharply in recent years, and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has said the rise in recorded dog attacks is due to increased police focus on the crime. In September, Ian Price, 52, died after being attacked by two dogs, believed to be American XL bullies, near a school in Staffordshire. In August, a five-year-old girl suffered “significant” injuries to her face after she was attacked by a dog outside a convenience store in County Durham. Jonathan Hogg, 37, from Wigan, died in hospital in May after being attacked by a dog in May.