Bully Pitts

[Collaborate]

Quick first question - are Bully Pitts a banned breed in the UK? My reading around suggests they are, as they are a cross breed containing Pitt Bull.

Second question is - if I know someone who owns some, but have no reason to think they are aggressive, should I report them?

I've attached a photo of what these dogs look like.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Wow, look at the size of him. He looks so strong. I'm not sure. Is it googeable?

[Collaborate]

I got the photo from google. There are 2 dogs, and they are identical to the one in the picture. I'm 99.9% sure of the breed.

[LilCamper]

Poor dog, not sure of the legality but healthwise...

[Collaborate]

Makes you wonder why a breeder would want a dog to look like that if not to look aggressive.

[Floralnomad]

It doesn't look aggressive ,it just looks overweight and abnormal - poor dog .

[tabulahrasa]

Pit bulls as far as being a banned breed are defined as a type, not a breed.

So it's completely irrelevant what breed/s a dog actually is, if it looks like a pit bull it is one as far as the law is concerned.

I'd not report a dog for existing, no, but then I think breed specific legislation is ridiculous, if it worked it's had more than 20 years to make a difference to whether people are attacked by dogs...and it hasn't.

[Sanchar]

That poor dog looks fed up.

It looks like its been going to a doggy gym, not normal at all.

It looks like a staffy crossed with a bulldog or something and had its ears sliced off.

Has the animal you want to report actually done anything or is it just scary looking?

[tabulahrasa]

"It looks like a staffy crossed with a bulldog or something and had its ears sliced off."

That's more or less exactly what it is.

[Collaborate]

The animal pictures is a Bully Pitt. They do, according to the Internet, have some Pitt Bull in them

[tabulahrasa]

"The animal pictures is a Bully Pitt. They do, according to the Internet, have some Pitt Bull in them"


They do in America, yes...but as a big staffy cross is close enough to looking like a pit bull to be deemed of type (or a small boxer one) god knows what would be in a British one.

[RoseDog]

god knows what would be in a British one...steroids

[Sanchar]

I'm no expert but pitbull is the umbrella term for all bull breeds. American pitbulls have longer legs so look taller and leaner.

Staffies have shorter legs and are stockier, I think American staffies look similar to British staffies.

AmPitbulls that look big, stocky and mean have been cross bred with a larger breed like a mastiff or something.

Whatever dog you are seeing it won't be a pitbull terrier, It's too stumpy and stocky.

[Veterinari]

If it looks exactly like the one in the picture then you should report the owner to the RSPCA as ear cropping is illegal in the UK

[shutupandshop]

Gosh what a beast. Poor thing. Wtf would someone cut its ears off? yes I would report.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Fighting dogs have their ears cut off so they aren't vulnerable and torn off in a fight

[shutupandshop]

Fighting dogs have their ears cut off so they aren't vulnerable and torn off in a fight

That is so cruel and sad

[CaptainKit]

Poor dogs, I'm pretty certain ear cropping is banned in the UK. At least, no decent vet would perform it, meaning they've likely been imported like that (in which case they're probably not classed as pit bull type) or have been cropped by someone without a veterinary license.

Legally/morally you probably should report any suspected dog of a banned breed or suspected to conform to type, but I personally wouldn't report unless there was a genuine risk posed by/to the dogs. Reporting would likely end up with the dogs put to sleep.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Its not an official thing to do, Captain, all underground and carried out by the dog fighting community. Along with tails I believe. It makes me physically sick. My friend works for a dog rescue, and has had a number of 'prey' dogs come her way; she obviously gets the survivors, so many don't survive.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I meant bait dogs, rather than prey, although it means the same thing I guess.

[tabulahrasa]

In other countries some breeds are routinely cropped still...because it looks better

[Collaborate]

I've left a message for the police. Hopefully someone will get back to me. I need to firstly establish whether they could be a banned breed. If not, then no harm done other than feckless owners thinking dogs can be left all day on their own for a week.

[tabulahrasa]

If your issue is that they're being left alone, you should have done something about that instead of reporting them as being potentially a banned breed.

Oh and again, they won't in fact establish whether there is any pit bull in their ancestry, that's not how it works, they look at them, take some measurements and decide based on a description that could fit pretty much any short coated breed...

If they're decided to be of type, they'll be exempted, neutered, tattooed, insured and always muzzled and on lead in public places or destroyed.

If they're not of type that will be the end if it.

So I'm assuming you think they should be put down, as that's the only outcome that would change them being left alone.

[Sanchar]

Sounds like you don't like the owners and want to stir up shit for them if the worst this dog has done is being left alone.

It looks like a cross bred beefed up staffie with cropped ears. It won't be a pitbull if it looks like the pic in your op.

[Collaborate]

Sounds like you don't like the owners and want to stir up shit for them if the worst this dog has done is being left alone.

Yes. You must be right. Because I'm vindictive like that towards people who were perfectly polite to me. It's got nothing to do with the sense of responsibility I'd feel if they attack someone and I've done nothing to report my concerns. It's for others to assess whether there are any concerns. If there aren't any, so be it.

I've also phoned the Kennel Club, and they recommended I speak to either the RSPCA about the dogs being left alone, or the police about the concern over the breed. I've given the owners some numbers of local people who offer pet sitting, so it's down to them.

And of course I think it unacceptable that the dogs be left alone for 22.5 hours a day. I make no apologies for that.