British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declared that American XL bully dogs will face a ban in the United Kingdom by the end of this year, following a recent suspected attack resulting in a fatality.
This decision comes shortly after an incident involving one of these robust, muscular dogs attacking an 11-year-old girl who was walking to a shop with her sister in Birmingham, England, less than a week ago.
Prime Minister Sunak, while announcing this initiative, expressed his deep concern over a series of severe dog attacks, stating, “It’s clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs; it’s a pattern of behavior, and it cannot go on.” He delivered this message via a video statement.
Sunak also disclosed that a man lost his life in central England on Thursday due to an attack involving a suspected XL bully dog, and law enforcement had arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the incident.
According to the advocacy group Bully Watch, which campaigns for a ban on the sale and breeding of XL bully dogs, this breed was responsible for over half of all fatal dog attacks in the UK last year.
XL bully dogs originated from American pit bull terriers and American Staffordshire terriers and made their debut in the UK around 2014 or 2015. Their numbers have been steadily increasing in recent years, as reported by the campaign group.
Sunak has called upon law enforcement and experts to establish a clear definition for XL bully dogs, considering it a crucial initial step before the ban can be enforced by year-end.
Several British animal welfare organizations, including the RSPCA, have expressed their view this week that banning specific dog breeds is not the ultimate solution. In a joint statement, they attributed the issue to “irresponsible breeding, rearing, and ownership” and recommended that the government instead concentrate on “dog control regulations and promoting responsible dog ownership and training.”
