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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Something needs to be done about unleashed pitbulls/ XL bullys

272 replies

TheyareEverywhere · 23/04/2023 09:03

We've just moved to a new area which seemed nice and a good place to raise the kids.

After living here for just a week I've had two encounters with one of those big, bulky pitbull / XL bully type dogs off lead with the type of owner you'd expect to have them - young, unable to control them, the sort who use the dog as a penis extention to intimidate people and train the dogs to latch onto things at the park.

DP got chatting to a man at the shop and apparently they belong to drug dealers from the other block down the road. Lovely.

I'm scared of those dogs and won't pretend I'm not. I know what they can, and do, do to people / kids. My DD is equally as scared of them after having one growl and bark at her at the park.

Surely something should be done about people like this, fines for having them off lead on public streets? I don't know. All I know is they're frightening and shit to live amongst 😔

AIB unreasonable?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
BMW6 · 23/04/2023 10:01

My own dog (on lead) was attacked and seriously injured by a SBT (escaped from its garden to attack).

The owners had been warned repeatedly that their dog was aggressive and trying to break out to attack, but they insisted it was only being friendly 🙄

They couldn't get their dog to stop. For half an hour their dog held on to a big mouthful of my dogs shoulder. Police couldn't get it to let go, even firing a fire extinguisher in its face didn't work.

My dog survived after a month of daily treatment and a cost of 3.5k.

The attacking dog was PTS that same day at the owners request. They had never ever imagined that it could do such a thing.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 23/04/2023 10:01

Well OP if its any consolation.
The breed is already going out of fashion.
High cost of living means many are ending up in rescues.
Breeders are struggling to sell the pups.

I can guarantee in 5 years it will be another breed of dog demonised, we've already done the same doberman, rottweiler, german shepherd, Staffordshire bull terrier, dalmatian, and huskies.

Any bets on what's next.

SpeckledlyHen · 23/04/2023 10:04

ToBeOrNotToBee · 23/04/2023 09:41

You weren't there when this conversation happened. Its heresay.

Your Husband could be making it up for all we know.

As could this person at the shops who has now morphed into a shop owner.

Show quote history

You sound like you could start a fight in an empty room.

Restforabit · 23/04/2023 10:05

So having Googled, it seems there were two fatalities in 2020, one involving a Staffordshire terrier (the owner had an epileptic seizure) and the other being a chow chow cross and the victim a newborn baby Sad

In 2021, there were four. One involved a Staffordshire terrier and the victim was the owner, one was an elderly lady who was attacked in her garden by two American bulldogs that had escaped. The other two were XL Bullies in November and December respectively. One victim a ten year old child, the other a grown man.

Then in 2022 the attacks surge up to ten, six of which involve XL Bullies. The other breeds are one husky, one Rottweiler, one cane corso and one American bulldogs (two of them.)

2023 has had two on Wiki but there is the recent death too. The first one involved multiple dogs and the second seems to involve some ambiguity but either Pitbull cross or an American bulldog cross.

Original poster
TheyareEverywhere · 23/04/2023 10:05

ToBeOrNotToBee · 23/04/2023 10:01

Well OP if its any consolation.
The breed is already going out of fashion.
High cost of living means many are ending up in rescues.
Breeders are struggling to sell the pups.

I can guarantee in 5 years it will be another breed of dog demonised, we've already done the same doberman, rottweiler, german shepherd, Staffordshire bull terrier, dalmatian, and huskies.

Any bets on what's next.

Indeed, they're passed around all of the time.

I personally know a young woman with children who got one of these dogs following in the footsteps of her older brother, she had the dog for a fortnight and was posting on Facebook about needing to rehome it.

They don't realise, or care, that constantly uprooting the dog and passing it from pillow to post is only going to make attacks more likely.. so long as it's not their child/sibling/gran that gets mauled.

OP posts:
slowquickstep · 23/04/2023 10:05

PassTheDuckie · 23/04/2023 09:21

They all need to be euthanised.

The owners, the dogs or both? Personally i would put both down.

SmallElephants · 23/04/2023 10:06

They are utterly terrifying particularly as even an adult owner would be unable to regain control once they do attack. See for example the recent case where the man walking an xl bully was killed by it. The trial reported he was experienced with large breed dogs like that.

and yes it makes me rage that once again wealth insulates and protects unequally. If your children play safely in your garden and there are few of these massive unsuitable dogs on your streets, maybe you don’t see the problem.

ElmTree22 · 23/04/2023 10:07

Bloopsie · 23/04/2023 09:20

I agree beside the dangers they are annoying,i go to feed ducks with my small children and autistic child whos afraid of dogs, regularly a dog runs up eats all the bread scares the ducks away and my autistic child wants to run away and the dog starts chasing her. Last time i asked owner to get the dog please he said he cant toucher her u til
she is finished eating :o|

I'm sorry that this happens to your child. Unfortunately there are so many bad dog owners that don't have complete control of their dogs and just allow them to run riot. However I believe its unnecessary for all dogs to be leashed, my GSD is wonderful of lead. I have only ever had one occasion when he was a puppy when he hasn't come back immediately when called. And he was not allowed off again until I had done further training with him.
It's unfair that some owners are just so lazy with their dogs and make the general public view dogs as a menace, when some of us invest SO much time and love and effort into training a very well behaved dog.

megletthesecond · 23/04/2023 10:07

I'd email the dog warden and email your local councillors and community police team. Be a 'pest' about it.
We don't have a local bully yet but there's a few grotty families in suspect might end up with one. I'll be sending emails the moment one appears.

summerpoolandsun · 23/04/2023 10:07

Yes I am sick of dogs ruling the town and the woods, it’s awful having to look around all the time to make sure DS doesn’t run too far in case a killer dog wants to come ‘play’

Original poster
TheyareEverywhere · 23/04/2023 10:08

The one that growled and barked at my DD at the park was identical to this in every way bar colour. They are terrifying creatures.

It also riles me how they dress up the ear docking as being for the dogs benefit, how exactly?

Something needs to be done about unleashed pitbulls/ XL bullys
OP posts:
CindersAgain · 23/04/2023 10:09

Restforabit · 23/04/2023 09:45

It’s since been reported he died, @CindersAgain Sad

Oh no ☹️

ElmTree22 · 23/04/2023 10:10

Naunet · 23/04/2023 09:24

Yep, I think it should be illegal for men like this to own these breeds, or to be out in public without a muzzle - the men that is, seeing as statistically, they pose a bigger risk than any dog does.

I think this is reasonable, and a less extreme suggestion to the solution that most. I think even owners would be happy to oblige. I would for sure.

summerpoolandsun · 23/04/2023 10:11

When DS was a baby there was a dog like that in a park we went to which came bounding towards us, it was terrifying. His owner just said his dog is ‘a puppy and wants to play’. Honestly, I don’t give a shit if it’s a puppy or not, just keep it away from us.

HuggingtheHRT · 23/04/2023 10:12

Dogs off lead are a problem in general. We always keep our dog on a lead has she is a hunting breed with a high prey drive and I wouldn't trust her not to chase someone's cat. However, my dog has been attacked by two different off-lead dogs in recent weeks. Neither were 'fighting' breeds. Both times the owners were chatting/on phones and not paying the blindest bit of attention to what their dogs were doing.

Personally, I would like to see a return to mandatory dog licensing. There are some people who are not fit to own a dog.

Bluebells1970 · 23/04/2023 10:12

The issue isn't the dog, it's the owners. And these people aren't ever to be responsible dog owners. Banning pitbulls didn't help one bit - they just moved onto the XL bully instead. Same will happen if the XL bully gets banned.

I honestly don't know how you will ever bring this under control, tbh.

Restforabit · 23/04/2023 10:14

Oh come on.

Will people stop it with the ‘it’s not the breed’ rhetoric. In the 2020s we’ve had eighteen deaths, eight of which involve XL Bullies.

It bloody IS the breed. Most years see a maximum of four fatalities, 2022 had more than double that and still people insist there isn’t a problem.

MissMarplesbag · 23/04/2023 10:15

Suzi888 · 23/04/2023 09:34

Although I agree these XL bullies are not family pets and all dogs should be on lead. Can we remember one important little fact- humans created them. We did it. Yup, aren’t we stupid?

Now what can we do about all the stupid decisions we make eh? Eradicate ourselves? (Hopefully one day!).

There are loads of breeds very capable of causing irreparable damage to humans and others animals. The problem is the owner. The human who watches Insta and thinks ooh I’ll get one of those, but they don’t train it, they get it to look intimidating, they get them to fight, they get money from gambling on the fights.

If XL bullies get confiscated and shot, do you think that’ll be the end of the problem, seriously? or do you think stupid little humans will come along and manufacture yet another killing machine?

It won’t stop until the owner serves the sentence. If the dog kills the owner needs to serve the sentence- murder, owning a weapon whatever.

We need to hold ourselves accountable.

I agree with this approach suggested by @Suzi888 the government needs to go after the owners with hefty custodial sentences.

pinkstripeycat · 23/04/2023 10:15

XL bullies terrify me. I know someone who bought one for her 11yr old. Beautiful dog, very friendly BUT the lady can’t control it as it’s so strong. It’s always on the lead dragging her along. She said the dog at 8 months old was 9 stone! If it wanted to attack there’d be no stopping it.
Also saw 2 x 20yr old something lads with one each. On harness so the owners were being dragged along by the 2 dogs who were snapping or snarling at each other.

LlynTegid · 23/04/2023 10:15

Some breeds should require to be licensed and ownership restricted (only a small number of breeds), and the law should say if a dog harms you, it is as if the owner caused the harm themselves.

ElmTree22 · 23/04/2023 10:16

Sisisimone · 23/04/2023 09:29

FFS don't start following drug dealers around, no good could come of that

I agree with you re the XL bully's and was just talking about it this morning. One close to me has just been seized after killing another dog. It was its 4th attack in a matter of weeks. Its the owners though isn't it, not the dogs. If xl bully's were banned those drug dealers would just get another big breed they could train to be vicious like a gsd or a rottie

Couldn't agree more. It's the owners for sure. A lot of people don't understand this.
GSDs, Rottweilers, dobermans have all been subjected to public scrutiny at one time or another and we all know these breeds can be and are wonderful dogs. But in the wrong hands they are a nightmare!

MissMarplesbag · 23/04/2023 10:17

pinkstripeycat · 23/04/2023 10:15

XL bullies terrify me. I know someone who bought one for her 11yr old. Beautiful dog, very friendly BUT the lady can’t control it as it’s so strong. It’s always on the lead dragging her along. She said the dog at 8 months old was 9 stone! If it wanted to attack there’d be no stopping it.
Also saw 2 x 20yr old something lads with one each. On harness so the owners were being dragged along by the 2 dogs who were snapping or snarling at each other.

Why buy a xl bully dog for an 11 year old?

MartiniFlan · 23/04/2023 10:18

'it's the owners' isn't really much comfort when it's the dog that has its teeth sunk into your flesh

SpeckledlyHen · 23/04/2023 10:20

I’m not sure what the answer is but these breeds terrify me also. I rented a house in an affluent seaside town recently (think lots of yachts type of place) which I wouldn’t have considered the type of place with a large drug problem (but who knows). I encountered a lady walking one which was about 8mths old. It belonged to her 20 year old son and she was tiny and the dog was massive. It sat down and she couldn’t physically get it yo move. Terrifying to think what might happen once it’s fully grown and muscled up and decides to run off with her at the end of its lead..

PassTheDuckie · 23/04/2023 10:20

We could easily ban all
dogs capable of doing serious damage. Why on earth, in a civilised society, do we not?