Government to *finally* look at banning XL bullies

[NoCharnce]

Thank goodness. I cannot believe it has taken so long* to even look at banning these awful creatures (I say that as a dog lover). Looks like the viral footage of an XL mauling two men who were trying to defend an 11 year old girl is the straw that broke the camels back.

Tweet direct from Home Sec: https://x.com/suellabraverman/status/1700924751646982312?s=46&t=QlNZXgFJWDXuxa3K3yo7ag

*policy makers have been captured by the RSPCA/Dog’s Trust etc “it’s not the breed, it’s the owner” dogma

I would also say that there should be DNA testing for banned breeds. The XL isn’t a breed in itself but have DNA from
banned breeds. Any dog with DNA from a banned breed should be sterilised and muzzled. Owner then fined for keeping a potentially dangerous dog.

There needs to be recognition of the origins and capabilities of bull breeds. The US has shelters full of pit bulls and pit bull mixes. These dogs pose a serious risk and too many are abused and live in dreadful conditions, as people buy puppies and can’t handle the adult dogs.

This from Battersea referring to Staffies as ‘Nanny Dogs’. https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-advice/finding-right-dog-you/staffies#:~:text=choice%20for%20you.-,Staffies%20aren't%20tough%2C%20they're%20just%20tough%20not,younger%20members%20of%20the%20family.

The Nanny Dog myth was started by a breeder of fighting dogs looking to increase his market, by selling to families. His nephew was amongst those killed by his dogs (seriously, there were multiple attacks on children from the dogs of one breeder). https://blog.dogsbite.org/2010/05/1909-fatality-john-p-colbys-fighting.html

In my opinion, the government need to clamp down on irresponsible dog owners and over-breeding, issue dog licences and large dogs need to be muzzled in public areas. All dogs leashed on public paths. I don’t care if your dog is friendly, you shouldn’t allow a dog to run over to a family, it makes you really irresponsible as an owner, especially if it has poor recall, if it has poor recall then the dog should remain leashed. The problem with this ban (which I don’t think will happen) it punishes responsible dog owners, we have one of the XL bull breeds in our area and he’s muzzled in public and you can see it’s been trained really well.

I am sick of dogs. Every time you venture out the door there is a dog. People now not satisfied with one dog. Two three or four are getting fashionable

I will say, I love dogs and donate towards various animal charities when I can so my post hasn’t come from a dislike of dogs.

I think breeders should be the first target. You should have to be registered to breed anything and regularly spot checked. And licensed to own a dog. No more back yard breeders.

The cruelty of breeding dogs for fast cash needs to be brought to an end. I can’t believe people who say they love dogs support such cruel behaviour. If you think backyard breeding is fine then you don’t really love animals.

You are perhaps overestimating the reliability of these dog DNA tests.

Various people have sent their dog's DNA off to multiple companies and have got significantly different results.

In this video, this woman found that three companies agreed with each other that her dog had quite a bit of chihuahua and cocker spaniel genes, but beyond that there's quite a bit of disagreement. One company, but only one, said her dog is 11% pit bull - a banned breed.

Now, as XL Bullies are basically pit bull crosses, I too am surprised that the police haven't been able to use existing legislation to deem them 'pit bull type' and therefore banned. But let's not pretend that dog DNA tests are unimpeachable.

@ToBrieOrNotToBrieThatIsTheQuestion

Fair point! Although extra control legislation on all pit breeds and a register of breeders would maybe help with that. The fines and punishments for back yard breeding need to be enough to put off most people and leave just the irresponsible twats (I include my mother in law in this) to be weeded out and prosecuted.

It's awful but I think I'd actually support all existing ones being confiscated. I'm a massive dog lover but XL bullies are terrifying. My husband and I were walking our dogs and one was off lead, it charged at us. I picked my dog up and the owner had a go at me as he went past. Said it was friendly, maybe it was, but it was also out of control.

When I heard it yesterday I looked up XL bully puppies for sale and in one of the listings, a selling point was that the Dad of the litter weighed nearly 11 stone. That's ridiculous. That outweighs most children, many women and some men.

I think the comparisons to guns are so helpful, I know any dog has the possibility to turn and attack but it's so frequent with this breed, they're so powerful and unstoppable.

I think it's contradictory to say your a dog lover but only of certain breeds 😏 that's not being a dog lover.

I also find it a bit sickening that people want them all rounded up and killed. Killing a dog that has done nothing wrong makes you worse than the breed that you call killing machines! The irony 😬

Also American xl bully x staffy isn't a thing. The dogs made up of Staffordshire bull terrier so the police don't even know what they are talking about.

I love going to see various dangerous animals at the zoo but I wouldn't like to meet certain ones in the play park. Not everyone on this thread has said they want these dogs killed but restrictions need to be on place for everyone's safety.

I can love dogs and also prefer not to have my - or my current dog's - throat ripped out. Many years ago two bull breed dogs did just that to our family puppy - a five month old toy breed. She died at the scene.

I would be quite content if these XL Bullies were all identified, registered, spayed / castrated, and those with criminal records featuring violence, drugs or intimidation etc. weren't allowed to keep them. Then, crucially, temperament test them all - once as youngsters, and again post-adolescence, around the age of 2-3. The result of a temperament test could be carrying on as normal, requiring a lead and muzzle outside and not being allowed in a home with children, or PTS.

XL Bullies are very different to what we know in Britain as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. XL Bullies are predominantly pit bull, with some American Staffordshire (again, different to a Staffordshire Bull Terrier) and American Bulldog thrown in. They're all long legged bull breeds - though many of them are so enormous I suspect some mastiff or similar genes have ended up in there too.

A dog can accurately be described as an XL Bully X Staffordshire Bull Terrier if the parents fit those descriptions, because they are two entirely separate breeds.

@ToBrieOrNotToBrieThatIsTheQuestion a true American bully is not long legged. Also the pit is so watered down that it's only 5-10% of their dna. They are all American bully's until they reach two depending on their height they or either pocket. Standard, classic or xl. 20-22 inches is an xl. They should be short but stocky.

This is a bully meet up. No aggression shown here just dogs mingling. The media have created a frenzy.

The media have accurately reflected that they are dangerous and maul and kill.

I understand that these meet ups are difficult to organize as venues do not want them. Who would?

@bombastix not that hard they a monthly event all over the country. Who would? Did you even watch the video 😏 nothing happened.

Interesting it's on a beach. Guess these meets aren't wanted elsewhere.

Saw some Facebook videos, all local, of XL bullies wandering about, without a lead or a collar, taken by their owners. One was in a housing estate, very naice new build, and the other in a lane I know that I walk down regularly.

Just so irresponsible and they all got hearts and likes.

I can't believe that's the only part of my post you chose to engage in.

Do you have a source for the claim that they're only 5-10% pit?

But - there are several sizes of American Bully - and I would bet that over time they will emerge as distinct breeds, if they're not banned first.

The pocket and micro bullies are small and so horrendously deformed that DFriend who works as a vet and does a lot of rescue centre work has had to put down several young ones in the last year alone, on welfare grounds, because they were in too much unresolvable pain. It's absolutely awful; she feels horrendous when she has to do it but there's no alternative. The Americans appear to have a new 'toadline bully' which is even more deformed than you're probably picturing right now.

The XL bullies are the largest of the lot, and are the ones implicated in so many deaths. My reference to the long legs was more about the foundation breeds than anything else but XL bullies have mid-long legs (compared to a SBT) and enormous girth.

The classic and standard American Bullies are somewhere inbetween the two in size. Inevitably if XL bullies are banned but not standard / classic they're going to have to find a way to differentiate between the two - presumably by weight. Probably most sensible just to ban the standard and classic too to avoid a wide raft of claims that "it's a classic bully not an XL he's just fat"

Personally I'd ban the lot, on temperament grounds for the big ones and welfare grounds for the little ones and links to organised crime for the lot of them

So the NHS and the Police have reported over 2,500 operations last year alone required because of dog attacks. They do not report the breed.

That is the point. You can own the street. You can feel macho and in control. These dogs are such dick extensions. And generally who cares except that they can kill you.

We wouldn't tolerate a group of men going to a public place like a beach and comparing their knives or baseball bats. It's a serious public order issue.

@bombastix since when has there been a beach at crystal park 😂🤦🏻‍♀️

Saw the sand. Does it make a difference? The public order point is the same.

Way to miss the point of a post.

ie one of these dogs, just one, put three people in hospital over the weekend. These gatherings should be banned too.