Forum Topic

Another Person Killed by an American XLBully Dog

A 37 year old man has been killed by an American XL Bully Dog.  When are this useless government going to take action and ban this breed?  If a 37 year old man, in the prime of life, can’t defend himself against a vicious attack, what hope for a child or older person.

Martine Guy ● 1268d27 Comments

Yes, it is absolutely horrific!!!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1268d

It's on BBC 1 now on the News.

Barbara Stevens ● 1268d

Why on earth was the process for issuing dog licences ever scrapped ?The dogs mentioned are of course vicious and violent and dangerous, often owned by those with very low IQs and no sense of social responsibility.But there are many other dogs on the street since Covid lockdown that are a public nuisance in many ways.A test should be in place before a licence is issued to prove competence for ownership.

John Hawkes ● 1268d

"A test should be in place before a licence is issued to prove competence for ownership."Don't forget the numberplates. "The dogs mentioned are of course vicious and violent and dangerous, often owned by those with very low IQs and no sense of social responsibility."What do you think about neutering as a condition of ownership? For the dogs, of course.

David Ainsworth ● 1268d

According to the Times today, the victim of the dog attack ran a dog-care service.  “The dog minder came out and started petting it, just telling it to shush, and then he started play fighting with it, but it suddenly turned on him”. Re: the Surrey dog walker who was attacked and killed by dogs recently, it has been reported that one of the dogs was an American XL Bully Dog belonging to the dog walker.  It would appear that this is the dog that killed her. Also in the news this week, the boy scalped by the newly acquired family pet dog that had recently been bought on Facebook.  The description of the dog is American staffie (?), but it looks like dog crossed with a pitbull to me.

Martine Guy ● 1268d

From what little I have seen on this subject, it does appear that the best strategy if one is frightened by the thought of these dogs is to avoid knowing or being related to the owners. Family and friends seem to be high amongst the victims.

David Ainsworth ● 1268d

Yes, I agree with your comment, David.  If I see the XL Bully dog around, then I cross the road to avoid it.  I would like to see all dogs muzzled in public places and extra long dog leads banned.

Martine Guy ● 1268d

In today’s Sunday Times a very interesting article on American Bullies by expert trainer Colin Tennant.  Here’s some of it: “About 8 years ago I had 2 American bulldogs in my kennels.  They had bitten a number of people.  Although I could handle them and they never attacked me, I’d only have to move in a certain way to put them in attack mode.  I didn’t let any of my staff go near them.  In the end I had to put them down for being too aggressive.  To me, rehoming these dogs would have been tantamount to leaving poison around a house for a child.”

Martine Guy ● 1267d

Today’s MailOnline, an article on XL Bully dogs:  “XL Bully can kill in 60 seconds and U.K. deaths will soar as breeders ‘create monsters’ by changing DNA of the animals to give them ‘enhanced muscles’. When are this do nothing government going to act?

Martine Guy ● 1248d

If all forecasts are correct then I'm sure the next govt will be equally useless in dealing with this issue.

Andy Pike ● 1248d

Martine,Have you considered writing to Fleur Anderson?

Ivonne Holliday ● 1248d

I could not possibly comment on forecasts I do not know you are referring to.What it is very true, is that this government is proving to be totally useless in more fronts than one.

Ivonne Holliday ● 1248d

Ivonne, I have thought about it and might do so.  The thing at the top of my list at the moment is OVO Energy.  As I get older, I find I am not good at dealing with more than one thing at a time. The article is an interesting one, if you can bear to read MailOnline.  Dog attacks are increasing and there has been “a startling rise in the number of dog bite incidents over the past 20 years”. The comments are also very interesting.  Many are saying the government is useless.  People are seriously worried about these powerful dogs, and this includes other dog owners.

Martine Guy ● 1248d

I'm sure you know that the forecast is Starmers labour to get in and I somehow doubt bully dogs will feature high on their list of things to do.

Andy Pike ● 1248d

Hello Martine,I did skim through the MailOnline article and realized he was looking after more than 1 dog - both in the same pen...Could not read the comments as they are no longer available.The madness is that these dogs are fashion statement "accessories", which makes me very angry indeed!They appear to be bred and/or trained to be aggressive....On the whole, and apologies for this generalization, I find that the people who own these aggresive dogs, are fairly aggressive themselves, which does not help matters!These breeds should be regulated and have compulsory licenses with the requirement of regular (monthly?) check-ups by vets authorized by the government, not chosen by the owner...

Ivonne Holliday ● 1247d

Looks like the Home Secretary may be moving on this following recent events.Not being a gun or dog person and reading some debates on Twitter, where some people are defending the right to have any dog are also against gun ownership.Yet the argument seems the very similar. My question would be the same to both groups - why would you want such a dog/gun?

Ed Robinson ● 1154d

The Daily Mirror and the Mail seem to be really onto this at the moment.  This was in the MailOnline on 6 September: ”The Rise of the Franken -Bully — Expert warns underground breeders are creating giant ‘mutant cross breads’ by mating banned pit bulls with legal mastiffs and bulldogs to evade dangerous dogs laws” ”Britain’s population of ‘mutant’ American Bully XL pets are too dangerous to live and must all be eradicated, a leading dog behaviourist has sensationally demanded”

Martine Guy ● 1154d

I’ve been reading the online comments on MailOnline and The Guardian.  It is rare to see readers of these newspapers in pretty much overwhelming agreement that something needs to be done about the XL Bully and huge support for a ban.

Martine Guy ● 1153d

Yes and for once so, it seems, are the Government and Opposition. Whether the Government  will actually do anything is another matter.

Jane Carter ● 1153d

With all due respects you and your husband should give the political basing a rest.

Robert Wheeler ● 1153d

Obviously meant to read “bashing”.  Stop the whole division politics and try and work and act as a civilise society.

Robert Wheeler ● 1153d

Err? Where’s the political bashing? I was actually pointing out a rare occasion where there was agreement between parties and, as Martine said, among people of normally very different political viewpoints. These dogs should be banned

Jane Carter ● 1153d

Jane your original comment said “ if the Government actually does anything is another matter”.

Robert Wheeler ● 1153d

Also, support for a ban seems to be coming from other dog owners, who are scared about walking their pets. I heard the other day that a business that makes armour for dogs is doing really well and is very busy.  I thought this must be a joke news item, but the doggie armour is being bought for small dogs to protect them from attacks by other larger dogs.

Martine Guy ● 1153d

Hardly political bashing!  The important thing is that these dogs are very dangerous and there seems general agreement that they should be banned. Let’s hope that the government acts quickly.

Jane Carter ● 1153d

Why?

David Ainsworth ● 1153d

Breaking News: A man killed by 2 out of control dogs outside a primary school in Stonnall, Staffordshire.

Martine Guy ● 1150d