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XL Bully in London: Animal rights activists criticize that a ban will not solve the problems

Photo: Toby Melville / REUTERS

Several people have recently become victims of dogs called American XL Bully. Strict rules will now apply in England and Wales from February 1st. As of this Thursday, it is a criminal offense to own the animals without a permit. Strict requirements must be met for exceptions.

Owners must prove that their XL Bully has been neutered by June 30th; for puppies up to one year old, this is necessary by the end of 2024. It is also required that pets take out liability insurance – and that dogs have a microchip. Dog owners face high fines and long prison sentences, up to 14 years, if their animals attack them.

Since the end of 2023, XL Bullies must be kept on a leash and wear a muzzle in public. The British government announced the regulation in the autumn. Several people had previously been attacked by such dogs, and some died, including children. A similar ban is soon to come into force in Scotland.

"We have kept our promise to introduce this important measure to protect public safety and we expect all XL Bully owners to comply with the strict requirements," said the responsible Environment Minister Steve Barclay.

Criticism from animal rights activists

According to the American Bully Kennel Club, American Bullys come in four sizes: Standard, Pocket, Classic and XL. As the BBC reports, they were created in the USA in the late 1980s from a cross between American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers. Other breeds were later introduced. The goal was an even more muscular dog.

According to the United Kennel Club, a US-based dog breeding association, aggressive behavior towards people is "uncharacteristic and highly undesirable" for American Bullies. However, the Guardian reports that the breed was involved in six of the ten fatal dog attacks in Great Britain in 2022. The newspaper quotes an expert according to which American XL Bullies have been responsible for 70 percent of all fatal attacks on other dogs and for half of all attacks on dogs and people since 2021.

Recently, in Germany, a 35-year-old was attacked and fatally injured by his own American XL Bully.

According to the group Bully Watch, the hybrid first appeared in the United Kingdom in 2014 or 2015. The number of animals increased rapidly during the pandemic.

Animal rights activists criticize that a ban will not solve the problems. Rather, dangers could increase because dogs lack exercise. In addition, there are too few veterinarians and shelters to deal with a possible increase in neutering and euthanasia as well as abandoned XL Bullies.

And questions remain, for example about the number of animals. In the autumn, the Environment Ministry estimated the population in England and Wales at 10,000 animals. By shortly before the deadline, 30,000 applications for exceptions had been received. And animal rights activists now estimate there are 50,000 to 100,000 of these dogs.

wit/dpa