To think we're about to see an influx of XL Bully attacks after a rehoming free for all?

[SeattleSpacePlane]

So I know the ban is about to come in. Plenty for it, many against it. Not trying to start a debate about that!

Yesterday someone on my FB shared a post from a woman who was offering to rehome an XL to save it before the ban came in. Someone commented with a group for rehoming XLs before it's too late and banned and I clicked on it for a look.

I was absolutely gobsmacked by the posts on the group. Hundreds of posts going back weeks of XLs needing new homes (I suppose expected) - but a VERY high and panicked volume of posts over the past few days, as the ban approaches.

Lots of pictures of dogs with !!URGENT!! rehoming requests. From people asking on behalf of their friend, because their HA just told them XLs are banned under their tenancy, for the XL they just found abandoned behind Tesco, because they bred an XL litter this year and a buyer has just dumped an 8 month old pup back with them. Lots of reasons. Incredibly sad for the dogs, none of this is of their making.

But it's the reaponses. Comments and comments from people offering to rehome an XL to save them. Highlights were 'willing to take one but must be good with children as I have a 5 year old'. 'I wish I could have both but I'm in a flat so one is my limit, please contact me'. 'I have an XL already who is brilliant with the kids, happy to add another poor baby to our pack'.

Dogs are currently being panic-rehomed all over the Country. People are offering their services to transport the XL from Devon to the family in Yorkshire who've agreed to take it. No home checks, no behavioural checks of the dogs, people aren't even meeting the dog they're agreeing to home. Lots and LOTS being shipped to Scotland in particular where there's no ban.

It's truly frightening the amount of people with young dc agreeing to blindly rehome an XL to save them. I wouldn't rehome a bloody Yorkie without meeting the dog first never mind an XL!

This is going to end in tragedy, surely?

AIBU to think the ban on privately rehoming them should have been immediate at point of announcement to prevent this madness? And also that, sadly, we're likely to be reading several tragic stories in the coming weeks about one of these panic-rehomed dogs turning?

There have been loads of xl bullies mysteriously found on the streets on my Facebook feed recently … no doubt some have been abandoned, some escaped from their homes. I wonder if there will be any effort to track down and prosecutor owners for allowing unmuzzled xls to roam the streets.

Doubt it.
So much for being ‘fur babies’ and such.
If they loves their dogs that much they would follow the rules not dump them like rubbish.

Just seen this thread - someone’s dog was attacked by an XL bully and police have done nothing!
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4935106-xl-bully-type-dog-attacked

I'd be very surprised if any are microchipped so tracing the wankers who dumped them won't be possible.

PTS is the only realistic and kind way of dealing with those dogs as no-one can know what experiences and maltreatment they've had.

I guess it’s just a vocal minority on social media. They really do make XL bully owners look bad. I know there are some good ones. These muppets on social media showing off their dogs without muzzles or leads are scum.

It was the same when pitbulls were banned, with people abandoning/re-homing them but we didn't see a massive rise in attacks.

Figures for bites by Pitbulls remain the same as they were pre-ban with no spikes or declines. Make of that what you will.

Do you have a good source for no reduction in pitbull bites? There is a very bad, essentially useless, submission made by two dog lovers to a parliamentary enquiry that gets waved around. But apart from that I’ve never seen any attempt to suggest that pitbulls are the same problem after the DDA than they were before it.

Pitbulls remain an horrendous problem in the US.

It seems Scotland will be banning them soon.

Pits are indeed huge problem in USA.
They also have well funded Pit Advocacy groups

who try to downplay attacks.
Every time a child or adult is mauled to death, or severely injured, there are fatuous excuses made.

As to U.K. bites , there are many degrees of bite.
Do hospitals keep accurate records of the breed /type of dog/s doing the biting?

There is a USA 🇺🇸 website called “ Dogsbite.org “ Some dogs don’t let go” that has statistics from USA,

But surgeons have said several times that the Pit type Bullies do terrible damage because of the bite “ Style”
Clamping down incredibly hard and shaking their heads back and forth ( head and neck same width ) and the carnassial teeth act like saw blades - It’s not like a bite from a “ Snatch and release “ type dog.

These hold on with massively strong jaw muscles.

@Megifer maybe a similar social/psychological reaction as the smoking ban - all those who are "othered" and put "outside" away from the majority bond together in their new group status as the unwanted.

@WhatsTheUseOfWorrying

No official sources exist for dog bite stats by breed. The ONS doesn't collect dog breed data when recording bites, nor does the NHS. Some sites try to collate figures from the ONS with news reports from the time but the media is well known for being inaccurate when reporting the breeds involved in fatalities.

You have to download the ONS table on Deaths by Dog strike or Bite and then google news reports to find it.

The rate of death by dog strike or bite has risen steadily since 1991. The rate of pitbull types being involved in those deaths remains pretty steady, I cannot link to any source, you will need to Google each attack recorded but even just glancing at the list on Wikipedia shows that pitbulls are still involved in some cases at pretty much the same rate they were prior to 1991. Other common breeds involved include GSD, Staffies, Rottweillers, and Malamutes - all breeds with different historical purposes.

We do need better data collection on bog bites. Dog bites are rising exponentially and until we can properly compare which breeds are involved at what rate (eg are there more incidents of Labs biting people because they are more likely to bite or because there are more of them in the UK?) we cannot reliably determine what is causing the rise to stop it.

I remember seeing a list of "all bites recorded requiring hospital treatment" somewhere, I think it might have been bullywatch or dogbite.org - it was definitely one of the more hysterical "campaign" groups. They had 0 recorded bites by terrier mixes in 2021 which I know is bullshit because I required hospital treatment for a bite by a terrier mix in 2021. At no point while I was being treated did anyone ask me the breed of the dog involved, who owned the dog involved, the circumstances surrounding the bite, or the history of the dog - all details that could help build a better picture of what is causing the rise in bites and what can be done to help prevent it.

I do believe there is an issue with aggressive dogs which needs to be addressed, I just don't believe banning the XL will address it. Banning the pitbull didn't reduce the overall number of people killed by dogs, so why will this ban be different?

I believe there is growing pressure on the Scottish government to take more of a stand - lots of petitions and dog owners writing to MPs etc.

The wiki page is quite useful:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom