The RSPCA has called for a “complete overhaul” of dog control, including the XL bully ban, after it emerged attacks and seizures are on the rise.
Since February, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully in England and Wales without an exemption certificate. Since December last year, it has also been against the law to sell, give away, abandon or breed XL bullies.
However, the BBC reported 22 out of 25 police forces as saying dog attacks are on course to be higher this year.
A freedom of information request from the BBC also revealed that 1,991 suspected banned dogs were seized by 19 police forces in the first eight months of this year: 283 more than in the whole of 2023.
Meanwhile, 818 dangerous dogs were destroyed in those eight months, more than double last year’s overall figure.
Responding to this, the RSPCA said: “We are incredibly saddened to hear that on average more than three dogs a day are having to be put to sleep by police since the XL bully ban came into force at the start of this year.
“We remain committed to protecting public safety around dogs. However, the current approach to dog control is not working and needs a complete overhaul.
How many XL bully attacks have there been?
XL bully attacks have continued, but it’s not possible to get a definitive picture of the numbers. This is because official figures on attacks do not break down the type of dog.
In September, The Independent reported there had been 6,392 dog attacks recorded by 27 police forces in England and Wales in the five months since February’s ban was introduced. There was no breakdown on how many involved XL bullies.
On Thursday, as mentioned above, the BBC reported 22 out of 25 forces are likely to record an increase in dog attacks compared to last year. Again, the data it received did not mention dog types.
The campaign group Bully Watch recorded 167 attacks involving XL bullies last year. This data was from reports on sites such as Nextdoor and Facebook. Yahoo News UK has asked the group if it has updated figures for 2024.
Watch: Owner of XL bully put down in ‘error’ by Lancashire Police was waiting for call to bring dog home
What has the reaction been?
The RSPCA, in its call for an overhaul to dog control amid the increased seizures and higher number of dogs being destroyed, said the government needs to “address the root causes of aggressive behaviour” and focus on “responsible breeding and ownership”.
“Sadly, the breed ban is costly to enforce both financially and emotionally – and crucially this legislation does not properly protect public safety but puts added strain on police forces across the UK.
“It is hugely costly in terms of both time and money and prevents police officers from focusing their limited resources on tackling dogs whose behaviour genuinely poses a risk to public safety – instead of seizing, kennelling and putting to sleep dogs simply because of the way they look.”
The government said the XL bully ban “is an important measure to protect public safety”.
How to recognise an XL bully dog
There are more than 57,000 XL bullies registered in England and Wales.
The government, as part of its ban earlier this year, published an official definition of an XL bully which can be seen here.
Generally, an XL bully is described as a “large dog with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for its size. Powerfully built individual.”
What to do if you see an XL bully owner breaking the law
The most visible signs an XL bully owner is breaking the law include if they are selling it or giving it away, abandoning it or letting it stray, or having it in public without a lead or muzzle. In these cases, the police should be informed.
Which other dangerous dogs are banned?
The XL bully ban is specific to England and Wales.
There are four other types of banned dogs in the UK as a whole: the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro.