American Bully XL to be banned by end of year

[SunshineHello]

Rishi Sunak has just announced these dogs are to be banned.

Good riddance - who needs a big aggressive dog like that? It’s hardly a family pet.

I do however suspect the ven diagram of ‘people that own an American Bully XL’ and ‘people who will be interested in following this law’ may have a limited overlap however.

Thank fuck for that.

Ditto

Good.

Just waiting for someone to come along and say the majority of dog bites are by labradors. Yawn.

Yes thank god. I hate them. I heard someone bragging on the bus about owning 5 of them 🙄

Although I think the conservatives are just flailing around for popularity with this one with no idea how to implement, I think that it's the right call.

I was in the vets the other day, and there was an enormous dog in there - huge. It could fit a child's head in its jaws easily. Whereas walking around the park just now, I passed some yappy Yorkshire terriers, and thought "if they attacked, I could quite easily punt them across the field".

You can blame the owner not the breed all you like, but we apply the same logic to owning firearms - no automatic weapons, and to managing drug supplies - e.g. licences to administer etc.

Good.

Curious... what does that mean for XL dogs already living and breathing ? 🧐

They need to neuter them all now. Rescue centres are full of them.

How are they actually going to enforce that? I cant see many xl bully owners voluntarily handing their dogs over to be destroyed. Particularly if that dog has never shown any signs of aggression.
Police forces are too stretched already to enforce it and as you don't need a licence to own a dog, there's no record of who owns what

@thecatsthecats

Yes there does seem to be an increase in generally MASSIVE dogs.

I saw two bull mastiff type dogs in the park a few weeks ago, not on the lead, and the owner advised I needed to keep my dog away from them.

Maybe, just maybe, they shouldn’t be off the lead then?

So often you can see the owners can’t control them either, being dragged along.

Under the dangerous dogs act it would mean being kept on a lead and muzzled in public

That once the ban is in, they hopefully won't be.

@Daveismyhero

It will be enforced the same way banned dog breeds are enforced now.

If they are reported, they test them, and if they’re found to be of that origin they are put down humanely.

If you are found to own one you will be banned from owning dogs, and fined.

I can imagine some local neighbours might be quite keen to ensure these aren’t on their streets locally, given the stories about attacks and the risk to their children.

Thank god.

I'm a dog person but I swear dogs are getting bigger and they do scare me. ESP when walking with my child.

Excellent news. I hope all the “pet” ones are ordered to be put down.

I don’t think it will work as those who have created this mess will simply move onto something else. Needs Much more severe punishment on dog breeders and owners should their dog become a weapon.

I've no idea how they will enforce it. Cropped ears are banned but you see them everywhere

The problem is that xl bully isn't actually a breed that can be tested for. People will just be saying they have a staff cross mastiff, American bully

The current pitbull bsl isn't worth the paper it's written on because it's unable to identify pitbulls other than by measurements but lots of non banned breeds also fit them

Lots of these dog breeders are already breaking the law with cropped ears which is universally banned (unless import) which is an immediate visible thing can't see they will suddenly stop now with something that's more vague

I've literally been worried about a dog attack these days. my colleague was attacked by a dog a year ago, went to hospital, infected wound. this is terrible. it's killed people and CHILDREN. can't believe this has been up for debate.

The problem is that xl bully isn't actually a breed that can be tested for. People will just be saying they have a staff cross mastiff, American bully

Agree in principle but as above really. They will define the breed and idiots will just breed around it, as already happens under the current legislation.

Why isn't there a Dog Licence system in place? Every dog should be licenced, chipped and wear a visible collar? A small admin fee for each licence could pay for dog wardens and all the necessary admin. Checks could be kept on the suitability of people to look after their dog. A bit like having a driving licence and insurance.

I think the issue is larger than being breed specific. Dog breeding on the whole is hugely unregulated in this country and the people breeding dogs with dangerous personalities will just move onto another breed of their chosen breed gets banned. Banning one breed is not going to solve the dangerous dog problem. There are aggression problems in many breeds (look up spaniel rage) caused by bad breeding. This is a much bigger problem than just the xl bully and dog breeding in this country needs a complete overhaul.

Update on existing American Bullies.

They will have to be muzzled in public, and on the lead at all times. They will be legally required to be neutered.

If they have a history of aggression, they will be put down.

@Daveismyhero its pretty breed specific - nearly all fatal dog attacks in the U.K. now involve American Bully XLs.

My friend, who is a very experienced small animal vet, euthanised an XL Bully this week. A young, fit, healthy dog. It had snapped at one of the children. She didn’t even consider raising the the subject of re-homing it with the owners.

That’s one less to worry about.

Completely agree

@BarelyLiterate

you have to wonder about the thought process behind buying one of these when you have small children in the house.

But both things can be done. Ban these dogs AND target breeders