Government to Impose Ban on XL Bullies Following Attacks
In an announcement that has drawn mixed reactions, the UK Government shared plans to ban the American XL Bullies by the end of the year, due to a high incidence of attacks associated with the breed.
Rising Tension Among Dog Owners
A dispute emanated on the show Good Morning Britain as TV personality, Richard Madeley, termed the dogs as 'ticking time bombs'. Madeley reference was driven by the 'terrible stories of children' who have endured harrowing experiences with the dogs, including fatal incidents.
Statistical data indicates that XL bullies have accounted for 50% of all attacks on people and other dogs over the past two years and an alarming 70% of all dog attack fatalities. Recently, six individuals lost their lives to XL bully attacks in the UK.
New Regulations for XL Bullies
Under the new rule, police will have the mandate to seize the dogs, and owners will be required to have them neutered. Additionally, dogs will have to be muzzled, and owners will need insurance coverage to compensate any attack victims.
Owners Defend the Breed
However, the breed's owners, such as Nick, believe the problem lies with the owners rather than the dogs themselves. "It's not just because of the breed, you should be looking at the owner of the breed - how they bring the dog up," he shared on GMB.
His sentiments were mirrored by another owner, Alicia, who claimed that her dog had shown no signs of aggression: "When we've been away we've had people come and sit the dog that obviously do not live in our household and there's never been any issues."
Despite the back-and-forth, the move to add the dogs to the list of banned animals is set to be finalised by the end of the year, as part of an effort to ensure public safety.