XL Bullies to be destroyed now!

[Babycatsarenice]

Sick of these monsters still being on our streets (I never see them muzzled as their irresponsible owners don't comply) and worse still knowing that they are still in homes with children.

AIBU that they should be put to sleep NOW

This is like 'guns don't kill, people do'. You can't control people until it's too late unfortunately, so you have to cut the problem off at the source.

FYI I'm not for putting the dogs down, just pointing out that the 'it's an owner issue' argument is pointless.

No it’s not fair that someone’s beloved pet should be PTS because of some twats.

We’d have barely any breeds left if we put down every ‘dangerous’ breed.

If this breed is eradicated, then it will be another breed that’s the problem.

Putting a plaster over this isn’t going to help.
The problem needs to be fixed and that means stricter dog ownership rules on all breeds.

Absolutely no point in legislating, if you haven't got the resources to enforce it. In fact, in this situation, personally, I think it will just make it worse, making breeding and owning go underground. Possibly we'll see a significant percentage abandoned. I'm sure no one wants abandoned XL bullies wandering around alone, hungry, confused, unloved, and fearful.

Currently our police forces seem to be having a spot of trouble keeping up with property crime, at something of an all time high, and crimes against the persons - particularly against women. When they are having to prioritise which call to attend, I'm thinking that unless an attack is in progress, a call that someone saw a dog that theythink might be an XL Bully out being walked unmuzzled is hardly likely to hit the attendance jackpot.

I've actually been in a situation where the police were contacted by multiple parties concerning an XL bully situation. The police were doing all they could to keep the hell out of it!

And this is part of the problem. Dogs are not humans, no matter how much some people want them to be regarded as such.
Nothing worse than someone's baby jumping around your children or sniffing your crotch when you are going about your day.
If my children ran up to, in front of, around, strangers, sniffing at them, I'm quite sure a chuckle and an "it's ok, she won't bite, she just wants to play", would not be acceptable.

It’s all very well people saying that they are beloved pets to responsible owners but why are people buying these dogs? Why choose this breed? People choose labradoodles because they are socially aspirational, spaniels because they want to appear more country than town. Unless it is a rescue dog, they have hundreds of breeds to choose from. What are owners trying to say about themselves when they choose these dogs?

I've actually been in a situation where the police were contacted by multiple parties concerning an XL bully situation. The police were doing all they could to keep the hell out of it!
Is it that they don't have the resources all skills requiredto deal with dangerous animals do you think@mbosnz

it absolutely is an owner issue, alongside a lack of police to enforce it.

Any dog has the potential to be vicious and aggressive. We've always kept King Charles Cavaliers, absolutely soft as shit, bred as lap dogs, glued to you, likely to lick you to death... still wouldn't leave with a child unsupervised.

My grandparents had one and whatever they did, they ended up with a nasty, food aggressive, resource guarding violent animal who only my mom or grandad could handle. He could and would have taken someone given the chance.

The responsible dog owners are the ones who are being punished by this stupid, rushed legislation, they've chipped, neutered, registered, insured and muzzled their dogs, the idiots haven't

They’re not monsters. Just like Rottweilers, German shepherds and staffies before them, they are the status symbol dog of shitheads, people who’ve got no clue how to care for a dog let alone be responsible for one. The difference with these is they are so big, muscular and strong, and their jaws are so large and strong, that the damage they can do is much more serious.

It’s never Mr and Mrs Smith from a nice area whose XL bully has attacked someone or Laura who spends hours a day training hers and has plenty of experience with big dogs. It’s some bellend who doesn’t know anything about dogs, let alone powerful ones, doesn’t use a lead because why should he, and lets his kids ride the dogs like a seaside donkey.

Nb to add that obviously there are lots of responsible owners of XL bullies, you’re not all shitheads and bellends.

They have collectively decided to be absolute angels and give another breed the limelight.
They are no longer dangerous and are all angelic little fluff balls.

In reality there has been an increase in deaths relating to xl bullies but the other breeds haven't stopped attacking people but xl bullies is the breed the press want to publicise. Likely cause they have a certain look and posture.

Well, if I were to get a dog now, I'd get a golden retriever. Not because I aspire socially, but because they are good family dogs with a good nature, reasonably trainable, and good with people and animals. And I like how they look.

Some people get them because they like them. They like how they look, they like the nature of the individual animal - so said a dog warden who once had two of them. Some get them for protection, because they live in a well dodgy area, and it makes them feel safer. Some get them to look tough and cool. Some get them to breed. Some get them to fight. Obviously a huge spectrum of reasons, raising from benign to worrying as hell and dodgy as all get out.

Guess, on that spectrum of reasons, which are most likely to comply with the legislation, take good care of the animal, and train it well?

Anyone who thinks it's a good idea to have one of these as a pet must by definition be lacking in critical thinking skills, not capable of making rational decisions and therefore entirely unsuited to be in charge of a dangerous animal.

I think they preferred not to find out @Gloriosaford !

I agree. There is no need or justification for these monsters existing. If the vets are too wimpy to euthanise them, I would volunteer.

@Iheartmysmart

I met my first XL bully last week. He was muzzled, neutered, being walked on a lead and his owner had exempted him. I made a fuss of the dog and a nice chat with his owner then we both went on our way.

Sorry but you are completely missing the point. You encountered an XL bully for a few seconds with a responsible owner. Great. What about all those dogs that have irresponsible owners and live in bad conditions? The ones that snap and maul children/elderly grandmothers etc? People seem to conveniently forget that XL bullies are bred to be savage - the one you met had a muzzle on and was being walked. But even that dog has the genetic tendency towards violence as it’s part of their DNA.

Why the need to be so rude.

We wouldn't be rude if you posted about your daughters. Some of us love our animals and call them our girls, our boys etc. You don't know someone's situation as to why they may treat their animals like their kids so leave us to it like we leave you to your children.

I don't think it's particularly useful to make gross generalisations about the intellect and capabilities of those who choose to own these dogs. Personally, I know multiple owners of these dogs, and while there are those that live down to the stereoytype, there are others that most certainly do not.

It really doesn't do anything other than entrench peoples' positions, and make it easier for them to dismiss what is being said and not listen to more justifiable concerns and engage in debate, communication, compromise, and compliance.

If genuine, you sound hysterical. Or looking to stir feelings for an article.

Agree! tho I am completely anti dog and cats, if I had my way this would be a dog dog and cat free country. They just wouldn't exist. No idea why people want these big ugly dogs. They arnt cute.

I would rather be locked in a room with the agressive cavalier king charles of your grandparents than with the two lovely xl bully "girls" of the PP @YuleDragon

All still around but they tend not to kill people in the numbers that XLs do.

A strong man could pull most of these types off you or i, he'd have no chance with a XL.

Maybe put the owners and breeders down?

If we cannot enforce the muzzle requirement, there is no chance of enforcing an order to PTS.

At this rate we can make up as many laws as we like - and that'll just mean a greater number of laws ignored.

30,000 (ish) exempt dogs. Average lifespan of 10 years. Assuming an equal spread of age, that's 3000 less dogs per year through natural death. Within 5-10 years we will be talking about a different dog type. That new type will still have been created in a 'lab' (a scrappy kitchen with tools bought off the internet) by criminals looking to intimidate and launder money.

We need to enforce the laws we have, as a start. We then need to put real time and energy into reviewing those laws and coming up with something more effective at the end result we're aiming for: reduced harm and death from poorly bred, poorly raised, poorly trained and poorly kept dogs.

So much hysteria on this thread. Over 30,000 XL bullies have been registered and granted exemption certificates, which goes to show only the tiniest of minorities cause problems. Some XL bullies are owned by the feckless but most of them have sensible responsible owners, as you can see from the updates on those that were fortunate enough to be rescued and rehomed by dog charities. I don’t like them and wouldn’t have one but I think we should bear in mind the figures for deaths caused by dogs around 10 a year in contrast with murder statistics of 500+ for humans killing other humans.

@ImNotReallySpartacus the vets are not too wimpy to euthanise them. Vets are dedicated to preserving the well-being of animals and they have every right to refuse to euthanise a healthy animal.

The ban is flawed, an XL bully who is owned by a responsible owner poses very little risk. The problem is the irresponsible owners who do not comply with the restrictions, knows nothing about training and uses the dog as a status symbol. Breed specific legislation does not work in reducing dog attacks. The government have no way of knowing how many XL Bully's there are and do not have the resources to enforce the ban.

Absolutely this.

I would be dead now if it weren't for my cat. I had a very difficult childhood, no family and was in a DV relationship. I'd never experienced pure, uncomplicated and unconditional love until I met my lovely boy. My life was turned around because of him. It's a shame some people can't accept the bond some people have with their animals and have to be so unpleasant about it.