American XL Bully
British Prime Minister wants to ban dangerous dog breeds
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sees the American XL Bully as a “danger to our communities”
© Daniel Leal/AFP
The American XL Bully is considered a relatively new dog breed. Now this is making bad headlines – and the British Prime Minister is forced to give a video message.
Great Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears very determined and moving in his new video message with which he addresses the citizens of his country this Friday: It is about a breed of dog that has made headlines in the United Kingdom in recent days, the so-called American XL bully. Sunak wants to ban the keeping of these animals in Great Britain.
“The American XL Bully is a danger to our communities, especially to our children,” says the conservative head of government with a serious expression in his video message.
All necessary steps would be taken to ensure people’s safety. The breed is different than in the USA – not yet legally defined, so this will come first, explains Sunak.
Is banning the American XL Bully really the best solution?
The Dog Control Coalition, made up of several animal protection associations, criticized that a ban on certain breeds was not a solution. It is more important to take action against “irresponsible breeding, rearing and ownership”.
As it became known on Friday, two American XL Bullies attacked a man in Stonnall near Birmingham on Thursday afternoon. He died from his injuries. A 30-year-old was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, among other things. Just on Saturday in Birmingham, a dog of the same type injured an eleven-year-old in the arm and shoulder, as well as two men who wanted to come to the girl’s aid.
As the BBC reported, the American XL Bully is said to have been created in the USA in the late 1980s from a cross between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. The goal was an even more muscular dog. According to the group Bully Watch, the hybrid first appeared in the UK around 2014 or 2015. The number of animals increased rapidly during the pandemic.
Sources: dpa, Video message from Rishi Sunak on X, Staffordshire Police
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