PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed he intends to ban American XL Bully dogs by the end of the year after a spate of horrifying attacks.
He announced on September 15 the "aggressive" breed will be outlawed under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Will pocket bully dogs be banned?
While the situation regarding XL Bullies is clear, the future of other bully breeds is uncertain.
As for pocket bully dogs, Downing Street has said no decision has been made.
However, over the coming weeks, police, ministers and experts will all work together to decide which dogs will come under the ban.
So far, no final decision has been made.
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What is a pocket bully?
The American Bully Kennel Club has divided the American Bully into four categories, including the XL, Pocket, Standard, and Classic.
American kennel clubs have different definitions of what an American XL bully is, but it is not recognised as a specific breed by the UK's The Kennel Club, dog expert witness Colin Tennant said.
The American Bully Kennel Club defines the American XL bully as a crossbreed of the American pit bull terrier, olde English bulldogge, English bulldog and the American bulldog, while the American Dog Breeders Association defines it as a crossbreed of the American Staffordshire terrier and the American pit bull terrier.
As the Pocket Bully’s name suggests, it is the smaller version of the American Bully, which is the parent breed.
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They are the smallest in the Bully family and have features similar to a French bulldog but are not related.
The dogs grow to a height of between 12 and 17 inches, according to BetterPet.
It’s a breed that has short fur and they can weigh somewhere from 10 to 25 pounds.
They live for around 10-13 years and are said to need moderate amounts of exercise, equivalent to between 30 minutes and an hour’s activity everyday.
BetterPet describes their temperament as “Sweet, plucky, and confident”.
The standard American Bully type is a medium-sized dog with a compact bulky muscular body, heavy bone structure and blocky head.
Male dogs must be 17 to 20 in (43 to 51 cm), while females must be 16 to 19 in (41 to 48 cm)
The classic is a lighter-framed dog than the standard, but falls within the same height range. These dogs do not display the exaggerated features often found in the other varieties.
An XL type is determined by its adult height, with males 21 to 23 inches (53 to 58 cm), and females 19 to 22 inches (48 to 56 cm).
So far, the Government has said it intends to ban the XL type following a string of attacks.
Sunak made the promise after it emerged a man has died after being attacked by two dogs - suspected to be bully XLs - in Birmingham and following a video of another attack that went viral when an 11-year-old girl suffered serious injuries.
Since 2021, the breed has been responsible for more than 70 per cent of all dog-related deaths in the UK.
However, while the breed may be banned, the UK's chief veterinary officer has said there will not be a cull of the dogs.
Christine Middlemiss said there will be an "amnesty", where owners will have to register their dogs and take actions including a muzzle in public.
Prof Middlemiss told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There will be an amnesty. So people that already have these dogs - and some of them will be well socialised, well managed, well trained - you will need to register and take certain actions.
"Your dog will need to be neutered. It will need to be muzzled when out in public and on a lead and insured.
"But if you comply with these actions, and that means we'll know where these dogs are, which will be a massive benefit, then yes, absolutely you will be able to keep your dog."
What dog breeds are banned in the UK?
In the UK, it’s against the law to own certain types of dog. These are the:
It’s also against the law to:
- sell a banned dog
- abandon a banned dog
- give away a banned dog
- breed from a banned dog
Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name, according to the government’s website.
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For example, if your dog matches many of the characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier, it may be a banned type.
If you have a banned dog, the police or local council dog warden can take it away and keep it, even if it has not been behaving dangerously or if there has not been a complaint about it.
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