Prime Minister outlines plans to ban XL Bully dogs as dangerous breed

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the announcement on Friday, September 15, saying that he "shares the nation's horror" after the recent dog attack in Birmingham and another incident yesterday which has led to a fatality.

A petition for the breed to be added to the Dangerous Dogs Act had been started by a Newton-le-Willows woman, after she was involved in a serious attack last month.

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Christine Potts suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a suspected XL Bully (Image: Christine Potts)
This attack, as reported by the Star, saw a suspected XL Bully attacking and injuring three women and three dogs in Willow Park, Newton-le-Willows.

There was also an incident where a dog, which is believed to have been an XL Bully, had to be put down after it attacked a woman on Frodsham Drive, Blackbrook, on Friday, August 25.

1-year-old Bella-Rae Birch tragically died following an attack by an XL Bully (Image: Merseyside Police)
Another "XL Bully type" savagely attacked a four-month old Border Collier in front of its pregnant owner on Station Road, Sutton, in June, while the tragedy of one-year-old Bella-Rae Birch, who died from a dog attack in Blackbrook last year, also involved an XL Bully.

A three-year-old girl also suffered facial injuries following a serious dog attack in Knowsley earlier this month, which was by a banned Pitbull breed, while a Leigh man was mauled to death in August by a dog which is believed to have been an XL Bully.

Blu the border collie was attacked by an XL Bully in June (Image: Holly-Jane Robb)
Following the serious attacks involving XL Bullies, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “The American XL bully dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children.

“I share the nation’s horror at the recent videos we’ve all seen. Yesterday we saw a another suspected XL bully dog attack, which has tragically led to a fatality.

“It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it’s a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.

“While owners already have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control, I want to reassure people that we are urgently working on ways to stop these attacks and protect the public.

“Today I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts, to firstly define the breed of dog behind these attacks, with the view to then outlawing it.

“It is not currently a breed defined in law, so this vital first step must happen fast.

“We will then ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be in place by the end of the year.

“These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe.”