After Attacks, UK Is Banning American 'Bully' Dog

UPDATE Sep 15, 2023 9:45 AM CDT

A large breed of dog known as the American Bully XL will be off limits in the UK as of the end of the year, reports the BBC. British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak announced the breed will be banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act after a series of attacks. The breed, which can weigh up to about 130 pounds, is linked to six of the 10 fatal dog attacks in the UK in 2022, and another two this year, per the Guardian.

Sep 11, 2023 2:28 PM CDT

Britain's home secretary said Monday she is seeking "urgent advice" on banning a type of American bully dog, highlighting an attack on an 11-year-old girl over the weekend. Suella Braverman said she has commissioned advice on outlawing American bully XL dogs after police said they were investigating an incident in the central English city of Birmingham on Saturday, when a girl was injured by one of the dogs. Two men who intervened were also injured. "This is appalling. The American XL Bully is a clear and lethal danger to our communities, particularly to children," Braverman wrote on social media. "We can't go on like this." As the AP reports, police said the dog was seized by officers and officials will consider what to do with the animal.

For months, some campaigners have been calling for a ban on the XL Bully, which was originally bred from the American pitbull terrier. Emma Whitfield, the mother of a 10-year-old boy who died after he was mauled by an American XL bully in Wales in 2021, questioned why authorities haven't acted sooner. "Where were you when my son was killed?" she tweeted. "Where were you when I was at Parliament asking for change? Nowhere. If you're going to do something, please do it." Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office said it took the issue "extremely seriously," but did not provide more details on the proposed law change.

story continues below

Four breeds of dogs are currently banned in the UK, including the pitbull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the dogo Argentino, and the fila Brasileiro. The Dangerous Dogs Act also prohibits owners from allowing their dog to be "dangerously out of control," which can be punished by fines and prison sentences of up to 14 years in serious cases. The XL bully is not recognized as a specific breed by the UK's Kennel Club, which has argued that no breed of dog is inherently dangerous. The organization says breed-specific bans do not address the most important factors contributing to biting incidents, primarily irresponsible dog owners who train their dogs to be aggressive. The bully breeds get their name because they were originally used in blood sports, such as bull baiting. The dogs have a muscular build and a heavier bone structure than pit bulls.

(More pit bulls stories.)