The reasons behind the UK's prohibition of American XL Bully dogs

The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has announced that American Bully XL dogs will be banned in the country by the end of the year. This decision comes after a man died in England following what Sunak described as "another suspected XL bully attack", marking the latest in a series of deadly incidents. Sunak has ordered the legal definition of the breed behind these attacks to be established so that it can be banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, which applies in England, Wales, and Scotland. The American Bully XL is the largest of the four types of American Bully, which also include standard, pocket, and classic. The American Bully XL is a powerful dog that can weigh over nine stone (60kg) and is capable of overpowering an adult. It is reported to have originated in the US in the late 1980s through the crossing of American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers. The breed has since been further developed by crossing it with other breeds to create a more muscular dog. While the American Bully is recognized as a specific breed in the US, the main British dog associations do not acknowledge it. However, the breed has gained popularity in the UK in recent years, with numbers increasing rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. American Bullies have been involved in several high-profile attacks in the UK. The most recent attack occurred in Walsall, resulting in the man's death and prompting Sunak to announce his decision to seek a ban on the breed. In Birmingham, an 11-year-old girl was attacked by an American Bully XL, and two men who intervened were also bitten and treated in the hospital. Other notable attacks involving American Bullies include the death of a 65-year-old grandmother in Liverpool who was trying to break up a fight between her own dogs, and the tragic death of a 17-month-old toddler in St Helens who was mauled by one of the dogs. In Caerphilly, Wales, a 10-year-old boy named Jack Lis was attacked and killed by an American Bully XL, leading his mother, Emma Whitfield, to call for a ban on the breed. American Bullies are already illegal in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, and they are restricted in some countries, including the Republic of Ireland where muzzle and leash requirements apply when the dog is in public. Under the UK's Dangerous Dogs Act, owning certain breeds, including those with physical characteristics similar to the banned breeds, is prohibited. The police or local council dog wardens have the authority to seize and keep a dog that belongs to a banned breed, even if it is not behaving dangerously and no complaint has been made. If the case goes to court, the owner must prove that their dog is not a banned type. Failure to do so may result in conviction, which carries an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to six months. Additionally, the dog will be euthanized. It is important to note that this article contains information reported by Matt Murphy.