A campaign group calling for American bully XL dogs to be outlawed has warned that ‘brutal’ attacks by the muscular breed have become ‘morbidly common’ in the UK.
Bully Watch, which shared a shocking video of an 11-year-old girl being mauled in Birmingham on Saturday, has collected reports of hundreds of incidents this year alone.
The attack in the Bordesley Green area led Home Secretary Suella Braverman to announce that she has commissioned ‘urgent advice’ on banning the dogs.
However as the American bully XL, which belongs to a group in the pitbull lineage, is not recognised as a specific breed by The Kennel Club, it could be difficult to categorise.
Existing laws include an unlimited fine and a prison sentence of up to six months, or both, for an owner whose dog is dangerously out of control.
A spokesperson for Bully Watch told Metro.co.uk that urgent action is nevertheless needed to stem the ‘horrific’ attacks which it says have led to at least 11 human deaths since 2021.
Doug Smith, speaking under a pseudonym, said: ‘While the attack in Birmingham has caught the nation’s attention because the video is so horrifically captivating, we have recorded attacks where it is has taken anywhere between five to eight men to remove these dogs once they have latched on. We are talking about really quite brutal, horrific attacks.
‘The reality is these attacks have become morbidly common to other animals. Our records show that there have been 30 other dogs killed by American bullies in the UK this year alone. The ones that survive are left with horrific injuries. We are finding that the bully-type dogs are responsible for the majority of severe, significant dog attacks.’
Ms Braveman reacted after West Midlands Police said it was investigating the incident in which the girl and two men who intervened were injured as the dog ran amok, chasing one man onto a petrol station forecourt.
She described the attack as ‘appalling’ and said the American bully XL is a ‘clear and lethal danger to our communities, particularly to children’.
The list of banned dogs falls under Environment Secretary Therese Coffey’s watch at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), where there are said to be concerns over adding the breeds.
Bully Watch has supported its call for government action with ‘documented figures’ including a tally of 351 attacks by ‘large bully breeds’ this year.
The group has identified bullies as essentially a pitbull descendant which may have had mastiff and bulldog genes mixed into its lineage over time.
The pitbull terrier was banned in the in the UK in 1991, with the list also consisting of the Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro.
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‘We welcome steps from government to address this as an issue, because there has been too much inaction,’ Mr Smith said.
‘A ban on these dogs would give the ability for there to be immediate action. At the moment, the only action that can happen is very reactive, a dog has to injure someone before the police can react. In the long-term there needs to be reform, but we can’t wait for that, we need action now while we are documenting attacks all the time.’
Emma Whitfield, whose son Jack Lis, 10, was killed by an XL bully in Caerphilly, South Wales, is also campaigning for an overhaul of dangerous dog laws. Jack died before paramedics could reach him after he was attacked by the dog, called ‘Beast’, in November 2021.
Responding to the footage of the Birmingham attack on X, Ms Whitfield said: ‘I’ve seen with my own eyes the damage these dogs do when my son was killed. Governments condolences mean nothing when they won’t act.’
The RSPCA and UK Bully Kennel Club oppose breed-specific legislation on the grounds that regulation and owner responsibility should be the focus.
The latter, which provides an educational platform and registration system for owners, describes the ‘standard’ American bully as having ‘immense power’ juxtaposed by a ‘gentle, affectionate demeanour’.
The group also gives descriptions for the XL, exotic, micro, pocket and athletic types on its website.
The club told Metro.co.uk today that its main aim is to promote responsible ownership and that this should be the government’s priority.
A spokesperson said: ‘The attack at the weekend was horrific and we feel for everyone involved. Looking at the dog it does not look like an XL bully.
‘The dog also looks like it may have had some form of protection training, which we are strongly against and is currently unregulated.
‘We think this can add to unprovoked attacks as uneducated people are training dogs to attack, which would fall under responsible ownership.
‘Surely this is the time to have a constructive conversation on responsible dog ownership for all dog owners, including potential licensing and more stringent breeding licenses, rather than just a knee-jerk ban?’’
The Dog Control Coalition, which consists of groups including the RSPCA, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and The Kennel Club, also placed the emphasis on regulating ownership.
A spokesperson said of the Birmingham attack: ‘This is a deeply distressing incident and our thoughts are with all those involved. We are all incredibly concerned about the rising number of dog bite incidents and the biggest priority of everyone involved is to protect the public.
‘Thirty-two years of the Dangerous Dogs Act, which has focused on banning specific types, has coincided with a troubling increase in dog bites and fatalities which shows that this approach simply isn’t working.
‘Sadly, the increased popularity of American XL bullies has made them valuable commodities, resulting in irresponsible breeding, rearing and ownership, which can all contribute to an increased likelihood of aggression in dogs, regardless of breed. However, the view of all leading animal charities is that the solution is not banning more types.
‘Instead, the government needs to focus on the improvement and enforcement of current breeding and dog control regulations, and on promoting responsible dog ownership and training.’
Defra stressed that a range of powers are already available for the police and prosecutors to deal with the owners of dangerous dogs.
A spokesman said: ‘We take dog attacks and anti-social behaviour very seriously and are making sure the full force of the law is being applied.
‘This can range from lower-level Community Protection Notices – which require dog owners to take appropriate action to address behaviour – to more serious offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act, where people can be put in prison for up to 14 years, be disqualified from ownership or result in dangerous dogs being euthanized.’
MORE : Urgent calls for XL Bully ban after ‘out of control’ dog attack
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