British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that American Bully XL dogs will be prohibited in the country by the end of the year.
This decision comes after a man passed away in England on Thursday in what Mr. Sunak called “another suspected XL bully incident.” It was the most recent of several fatal instances. To facilitate its prohibition under the Dangerous Dogs Act, which is applicable in England, Wales, and Scotland, Mr. Sunak claimed to have initiated work to define the breed responsible for the most recent assaults. The American Bully comes in four sizes: normal, pocket, classic, and XL. The XL is the largest size, with a weight range of over nine stone (60 kg), making it powerful enough to overwhelm an adult.
It is believed that American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers were bred together in the US in the late 1980s, giving rise to American Bullies. These dogs have been bred with other breeds to create even more muscular variations. Due to their “gentle and loving” temperament and “strong appearance,” the United Kennel Club in the US states that the American Bully “makes a great family dog.” The statement “some degree of dog hostility is characteristic of this breed” is followed by the statement “aggressive behavior towards humans is uncharacteristic.” However, major dog organizations in Britain do not recognize the American Bully as a distinct breed.
Bully Watch, a UK advocacy group, claims that the breed was relatively new to the country when it first arrived “around 2014 or 2015,” but its popularity surged during the coronavirus outbreak. American bullies have allegedly been involved in several high-profile attacks in the UK. The most recent alleged attack occurred in Walsall, in the West Midlands of England. Mr. Sunak announced his plan to advocate for a prohibition on a specific type of breeding after the individual’s demise. An American bully named XL attacked an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham on Saturday. The animal bit two individuals who tried to intervene and both of them received treatment at a hospital. Attempting to break up a fight between her two American bullies at her Liverpool house in April resulted in the death of a 65-year-old grandma.
She was found with “catastrophic injuries,” as noted by the coroner. In St. Helens last year, a 17-month-old toddler was fatally mauled by one of the neighborhood dogs, just a week after her family had moved into the house. Additionally, in 2021, a 10-year-old boy named Jack Lis passed away from severe head and neck injuries sustained in an attack by an American bully named XL in Caerphilly, Wales. Emma Whitfield, his mother, has called for a prohibition on the presence of these dogs. Both Turkey and the United Arab Emirates prohibit American Bullying. Several nations have imposed further restrictions on the breed, notably the Republic of Ireland, where any American Bully must be muzzled and on a leash no longer than 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches) when in public.
Even if the dog is not displaying harmful behavior and no complaints have been filed, the police or local council dog wardens have the authority to remove and detain the dog. The owner must prove in court that their dog is not a prohibited breed if the case goes to court. If found guilty of a crime for which the maximum penalty is an unlimited fine or up to six months in jail, they will be presumed not guilty until they can provide evidence or enter a guilty plea. The canine will also be euthanized.
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