American XL Bully To Be Banned In UK

The Prime Minister has today announced there is to be a UK ban of the XL Bully.

Rishi Sunak has vowed to ban the 'breed' following the recent attacks on Ana Paun, aged 11, 10 year old Mohammed Sami Raza, and Ian Price, 52, who tragically died from his injuries.

Earlier this week, Home Secretary, Suella Braverman sought "urgent advice" on banning the American XL Bully. Today, the Prime Minister responded.

Prime Minister's Statement

"The American XL bully dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children. I share the nation's horror at the recent videos we've all seen. Yesterday we saw a another suspected XL bully dog attack, which has tragically led to a fatality.

"It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it's a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on. While owners already have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control, I want to reassure people that we are urgently working on ways to stop these attacks and protect the public.

"These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe."

Punishing Well Behaved Pets?

Dogs Trust Chief Executive, Owen Sharp, told BBC Radio 4 earlier this week that imposing a ban on the XL Bully was unfair and would punish well behaved pets, adding "We just don't think breed-specific bans work". "Unfortunately there are poor owners and a larger number of poor owners with these dogs.

What Will Happen When XL Bullies Are Banned?

• It will probably become illegal to own, sell, or breed an XL in the UK following the ban.
• If the dog is seen in public it may be taken away, even if it is not acting dangerously.
• Authorities will need a warrant to enter private property to seize an animal.
• If an owner can prove their dog is not a banned breed it will be returned to them.
• If an owner cannot prove their dog is not a banned breed they could be fined and / or imprisoned and the dog may be destroyed.
• A judge may consider a 'banned' dog to be of no danger to the public, providing a Certificate Of Exemption, which comes with strict rules such as being neutered, muzzled, and insured for 3rd party attacks.

What Has Led To This Ban?

The XL Bully, a variation of the American Pitbull, first appeared in the 90's and were originally bred to be the ultimate family companion. With proper training and socialisation from a responsible owner, XL Bullys can be as loving as any other breed. So how did this gentle giant become the villain of the piece?

The XL Bully has been over-bred for traits such as larger, more muscular frames and aggression to ensure their intimidating appearance provides their owners with protection, or to be a status symbol. Irresponsible breeders and owners have created the perfect storm for these recent spate of attacks.

Due to their size and strength, the chances of escaping an attack unharmed is unlikely. It's estimated that 75% of all dog attack fatalities have been attributed to the XL.

Preloved And XL Bullys

Preloved's priority is the safety of our members and the animals advertised on our site. We work closely with Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), the Department for Environment, Food, Rural Affairs (Defra), and various welfare organisations and campaign groups to ensure we implement policy and listing guidelines based on the opinions of industry leading experts.

Earlier this week, we met with PAAG and Defra and asked for clarification on the XL Bully issue following Braverman's call to ban. While no feedback was offered at that time, we were led to believe this matter was being reviewed at the highest level. The response just 2 days later is a UK-wide ban.

Our team of Moderators are already taking steps to review our listing guidelines and processes to ensure we can implement changes to support any new legislation concerning the 'breed'.

The Dog Control Coalition's Response

A spokesperson from the Dog Control Coalition - which is made up of RSPCA, Blue Cross, Battersea, Dogs Trust, Hope Rescue, Scottish SPCA, The Kennel Club and BVA - said:

“The recent incidents are deeply distressing and our thoughts are with all those involved and affected.

“It is also critical that any policy designed to protect public safety is based on robust evidence and we are deeply concerned about the lack of data behind this decision and its potential to prevent dog bites.”

Dogs Trust have since issued advice for XL Bully owners and can be read here.