September, Friday 20, 2024

Bulldog XL to be put down for assaulting owner during intimate activity


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A court in Carmarthenshire heard that an American XL Bully attacked its owner, Scott Thurston, while he was having sex. The incident occurred on 2 August at Thurston's home in Glanaman. Thurston's partner, Leanne Bell, called the police to the scene in the early hours of the morning. The court ordered the dog to be destroyed, but this will not happen for at least 28 days in case there are any appeals. Body cam footage from the police officers who arrived at the property showed Thurston attempting to muzzle the dog in the garden. Bell explained to the officers that although she loved the dog, she couldn't have him around her four children. The court learned that Bell and Thurston had been arguing before becoming intimate, and it was during this time that the dog attacked Thurston. Thurston suffered bites to his left forearm and chin but declined offers for an ambulance. The dog was eventually contained in a downstairs room. The police seized the dog on 19 August and it has been kept in kennels. The police sought a destruction order based on the fact that the dog was dangerous. The court granted the destruction order due their significant concerns for the safety of the four children in the household. Mr. Birch, representing Thurston, argued that with proper measures in place, the dog could safely be returned home. However, the magistrates ruled that the dog could not be safely returned. In addition to the destruction order, the court also ordered Thurston to pay £800 in costs. Thurston and Bell declined to comment as they left the court. From December 31, 2023, all XL Bullies must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public, and from February 1, 2024, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully unless the owner has received an exemption. Exempt dogs must be neutered and microchipped. Owners who do not wish to keep their XL Bullies can have them euthanised and seek compensation for the costs. XL Bullies were added to the banned list due to a series of attacks involving the breed.