A Lytham resident has joined canine experts to demand that the American Bully XL be banned throughout the UK as data has shown how the breed has been involved in the majority of fatal dog attacks. Two of four fatal dog attacks in the UK in 2021 involved a Bully XL, with the number increasing to at least six out of ten last year.
And already this year, there have been at least two fatal bully attacks – with fears the breed could have also been involved in three other dog killings.
The fearful, deeply concerned Lytham resident has told Lytham St. Anne’s News, ‘I frequently see these vicious looking dogs, consistently without leads, with their owners arrogantly swaggering up and down Lytham Green. Young children are often nearby and I am fearful that there could be an imminent tragic or life-changing attack from one of these vicious brutes.’
The popularity of Bullies XL has soared with TikTok stars and major celebrities, such rapper Drake and Little Mix Leigh-Anne Pinnock, making the dog a status symbol.
Elisa Allen, from People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), says that all Bully XLs should now be spayed or neutered to stop the breed spreading in Britain. This is because the breed’s powerful bodies and strong jaws make them a threat to humans as the dog was bred for bull-baiting and fighting – not as a family pet.
A PETA spokesperson said, ‘It is an undeniable fact that most serious and fatal dog attacks are by bully breeds. These breeds were intentionally developed long ago for gameness, meaning they are prey-focused and hard to distract once in attack mode and have extremely muscular, powerful bodies with strong jaws.
When dogs attack, it can be because they have been tormented, beaten, poorly socialised, isolated, caged, or chained by a current or previous owner, but no one can pretend that owners are solely to blame, as these breeds were selectively bred for bull-baiting and fighting.
We can prevent more attacks by banning the breeding of these types of dogs – which can be done by mandating that all bully dogs be spayed or neutered.’
However, the exact number of Bully XL dogs in the UK is unclear as the Kennel Club doesn’t officially recognise the breed.
Stan Rawlinson, an expert dog behaviourist, told the Daily Mail, ‘We averaged three dog attack deaths a year for the past 25 years. From that, we had ten last year with up to seven related to the Bully XL. This is only going to get worse. They could kill you in about a minute and the worst thing is no one knows how many there are in the UK. There are at least thousands but we just don’t know for sure. Amateurs are tinkering with DNA, giving these dogs enhanced muscles, trying to create monsters. And they’ve managed it. It’s going to get considerably worse.’
