UK PM Rishi Sunak vows action after man dies in dog attack, orders ban on American XL bully breed

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Friday, took to his official X handle and posted a video announcing a ban on American XL bully breed after a man in central England succumbed to serious injuries that he sustained after he was attacked by dogs. Sunak said it was clear that the attacks were not about a handful of badly trained dogs but a pattern of behaviour.

A man in central England succumbed to serious injuries that he endured after he was attacked by dogs, emergency services said on Friday (September 15). This is the latest in a spate of incidents reported in the United Kingdom that prompted PM Rishi Sunak to vow action.

The emergency services said that they were called on Thursday (September 14) that a man was left with critical wounds after being attacked by two dogs near Birmingham.

“Upon arrival, we found a man who had sustained multiple life-threatening injuries and was in a critical condition,” said the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

“Unfortunately, after arrival at hospital, despite the best efforts it became clear that nothing more could be done to save him (and) he was confirmed deceased.”

Staffordshire Police released a statement saying that a 30-year-old man was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of having dogs that were dangerously out of control.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Friday, took to his official X handle and posted a video saying it was clear that the attacks were not about a handful of badly trained dogs but a pattern of behaviour.

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

“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,” Sunak added.

“Today I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts to firstly define the breed of dogs behind these attacks with a view to then outlawing it,” the UK PM said.

Sunak further said that identifying the breed was extremely important in order to ensure the safety of residents.

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

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

He captioned the video as, “It’s clear the American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities. I’ve ordered urgent work to define and ban this breed so we can end these violent attacks and keep people safe.”

11-year-old girl suffers serious wounds after being attacked by American bully XL

On Saturday (September 9), an 11-year-old girl was left seriously injured after she was attacked by an American bully XL and Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed puppy.

The incident led Interior Minister Suella Braverman to seek “urgent advice” on whether the American bully XL breed should be banned.

Expressing her shock and concern, Braverman described the American XL Bully as a significant and lethal threat to communities, especially children, in a social media statement. She stressed the need for immediate action.

“This is appalling,” she posted on X.

“The American XL Bully is a clear and lethal danger to our communities, particularly to children. We can’t go on like this. I have commissioned urgent advice on banning them,” she added.

The Dangerous Dogs Act prohibits certain types of dogs in private possession if they get dangerously out of control in a public place or a private place. The law also provides for such dogs to be seized by the authorities.

Currently, the UK bans four dog breeds, including the pitbull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino, and fila Brasileiro, under the Dangerous Dogs Act. 

Notably, the XL Bully is not officially recognised as a distinct breed by the UK’s Kennel Club. The Kennel Club argues against breed-specific bans, saying that responsible ownership and training play a pivotal role in preventing dog-related incidents, rather than focusing solely on specific breeds.

The term “bully breeds” originated from their historical use in blood sports like bull baiting, characterised by their muscular build and heavier bone structure compared to pit bulls.

(With inputs from agencies)

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.