After a man died in England from an attack by dogs believed to be American Bully XL, the British Prime Minister announced plans to ban the animal by the end of the year.
Brits were hit by several dog attacks last week. Among them, a man died on Friday after two dogs attacked him near a school in the village of Stonnall in central England the day before. The next day, an 11-year-old girl and two men were attacked in Birmingham.
The dog is considered guilty? An American Bully XL, a small, robust animal resulting from various crosses, in particular between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier.
To “put an end to these violent attacks and keep people safe,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he wanted to “ban this breed by the end of the year.”
“The American Bully Dog XL is a danger to our communities, especially our children,” he said. “I share the nation’s horror at the recent videos we have all seen.”
An internationally unrecognized breed
The ban would be based on the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991, which provides for the ban of any breed that appears to be “bred for fighting or has the characteristics of a breed bred for that purpose.” Four breeds have already been banned in the country under this law: the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentinos and the Fila Brazileiro.
Issue: This dog, bred in the US in the 1980s and imported into the UK in 2014, according to The Independent, is not a breed officially recognized by the International Cynological Federation. Only the American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club, recognizes it. Enough to make the ban more difficult.
To address this problem, the Prime Minister assured that he had asked his ministers to urgently bring together police and experts.
“It is clear that the problem does not concern a handful of poorly trained dogs, but rather a pattern of behavior that cannot continue,” he stressed.
He added: “While owners already have a responsibility to control their dogs, I would like to reassure people that we are working urgently to stop these attacks and protect the public.”
An unreasonable ban on certain defenders
For several animal welfare organizations, a ban on this dog is not an adequate solution and would be ineffective.
“The government must instead focus on improving and enforcing current dog breeding and control regulations and promoting responsible dog ownership and training,” said the statement from the Dog Control Coalition, a coalition of veterinary and animal welfare organizations in the country Guardian.
There would also be a risk that thousands of innocent animals would be euthanized.
“Banning these dogs could inadvertently lead to other dog breeds being included in the same category and thus banned in the UK,” points out Rhianna Tsiattalou, a specialist criminal defense lawyer.
“As these dogs are cross-breeds, it would be difficult to enforce a ban in all cases.”
The owners, in turn, value the gentle and friendly behavior of these dogs, which despite their appearance would make good pets.
Dog attacks increase 34% in five years
The ban on American Bully XLs under the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 would make them impossible to breed, sell or give away. However, as provided by law, certain owners could prove that their animal is harmless and receive an exemption certificate that allows them to be kept under strict conditions. The animal should then be neutered and microchipped and always kept on a leash and muzzled in public.
The Bully American Bully XL has been linked to six out of 10 fatal dog attacks in the UK in 2022 and has been involved in at least two deaths this year, The Independent reports. In general, the number of dog attacks has increased by 34% over the past five years, from 16,394 in 2018 to 21,918 in 2022.
According to British veterinarians, the reasons for this are: caged dogs leading to fewer interactions, a deterioration in the quality of training amid increased demand, or even the tendency of owners to want to take their dogs with them everywhere.