15 Sept 2023
Rishi Sunak has pledged to define and outlaw the controversial breed by the end of this year, despite the concerns of veterinary and welfare groups.
Allister Webb
Job Title
UK prime minister Rishi Sunak. Image: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0
The prime minister has pledged to define and ban the American XL bully following another fatal attack thought to be linked to the controversial breed.
The announcement follows the death of a man who was attacked by two dogs near Walsall yesterday afternoon. A second man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
In a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, this morning, Rishi Sunak pledged the breed would be banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act by the end of this year.
He said he had also ordered ministers to bring together police and experts to develop the legal definition of the breed necessary for a ban to come into force.
Mr Sunak said the XL bully was a danger to the public, adding: It’s clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs. It’s a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.”
Calls for the breed to be banned have grown in recent months following a series of high-profile incidents.
Earlier this week, the home secretary, Suella Braverman, said she had instructed officials to look at how the breed could be banned following the circulation of video footage showing an 11-year-old girl being attacked.
But welfare and veterinary groups have repeatedly voiced concerns about the effectiveness of breed-based legislation amid their calls for a complete overhaul of the current law.
Earlier this month, the Dog Control Coalition, of which the BVA is a member, warned that any move to extend the current banned breed list would lead to more dogs being euthanised.
