Ryan Wilks
The American XL Bully dog breed may be banned.
The American Bully comes in four distinct varieties: standard, pocket, classic, and XL.
The American Bully XL, which is the largest among them, can exceed a weight of nine stone (60 kg), making it strong enough to overpower an adult.
Originating in the late 1980s in the United States, American Bullies are the result of crosses between American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers.
Over time, they have been selectively bred with other breeds to achieve even greater muscularity.
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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed concerns about the breed, labelling it as ‘a danger to our communities’ in light of a series of recent incidents.
It comes after the West Midlands Ambulance Service announced on September 15 that a man had died from a dog attack in Staffordshire.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Suella Braverman is calling for XL Bully dogs to be banned following an attack on a shop street in Birmingham which led to an 11-year-old girl and two men being rushed to hospital.
Sunak has assigned experts to determine the specific dog breed in question before initiating a ban under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
In a video statement shared on X (previously known as Twitter) the Prime Minister detailed the intentions to prohibit the XL Bully dog breed.
@itvnews American XL bully dog will be banned, says Rishi Sunak #itv #itvnews #xlbully #americanxlbullies ♬ original sound – itvnews
“The American XL bully dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children,” stated Sunak.
“I share the nation’s horror at the recent videos we’ve all seen. Yesterday we saw another suspected XL bully dog attack, which has tragically led to a fatality. It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it’s a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.”
Sunak went on to say that owners must ‘have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control’ and that plans are being made to ‘stop these attacks and protect the public’.
He added: “Today I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts, to firstly define the breed of dog behind these attacks, with the view to then outlawing it.
“It is not currently a breed defined in law, so this vital first step must happen fast. We will then ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be in place by the end of the year.
“These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe.”
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If a dog is added to the banned dogs list, it makes it illegal for anyone in the UK to own, breed, or sell them.
Anyone found with a banned dog can have their pet taken away by the police or local council dog warden – even if it hasn’t been acting dangerously and a complaint hasn’t been made.
If this happens, a council dog expert will determine whether ‘it is or could be a danger to the public’, at which point the pet will either be released back to you or kept in the kennels while the police apply to court.
It is then ‘your responsibility’ to prove in court that your dog isn’t a banned type.
There are exceptions to the banned dog rule. If your dog is a banned breed but the court doesn’t believe it’s a danger to the public it can be put on the Index of Exempt Dogs – allowing you to keep it.
You’ll be given a Certificate of Exemption and it lasts for the rest of your dog’s life. However, there are strict rules you must follow, such as having it neutered, microchipped and kept in a secure place where it cannot escape.
Currently, it’s illegal to own four dog breeds in the UK: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
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