A Welsh police force is teaching its dogs to headbutt criminals because they are afraid dog bites are infringing on human rights, K9 Magazine reported.

The dogs, who will now wear muzzles, have been trained to leap at their targets, according to the magazine.

“Instead of biting, the dog is muzzled and launches itself like a missile at the midriff of the target,” Clive Wolfendale, the deputy chief constable of North Wales, told the magazine.

The new policy is a result of increased compensation claims from members of the public who have been bitten by police dogs.

A metal rod across the front of the muzzle helps absorb the impact of the strike and protect the dog, the magazine reported.