UK to ban 'American XL bully' dogs after a flurry of attacks leave several dead

The United Kingdom announced on Friday that 'American XL bully' dogs would be banned by the end of the year due to a series of attacks that left several people dead and many others injured.

The decision comes just hours after a 52-year-old British man died of injuries sustained after being mauled by two dogs outside his mother's house in Staffordshire. 

This attack came barely 2 days after an 11-year-old girl was attacked by a dog on her way to the shop, the same dog put her and two men who intervened in the hospital.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, "It's clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it's a pattern of behavior and it cannot go on."

Attacks by such dogs have been linked to at least 14 deaths since 2021, according to campaigners.

Creating a legal definition

Sunak said that the first step was to create a legal definition of the breed so that it could be banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

American XL bullies are the largest of the modern American Pit Bull varieties and can weigh up to 60 kg enough to overpower a grown adult.

The breed is currently banned in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Some campaigners are saying that a blanket ban will not stem the flow of dog attacks, instead, campaigners say targeting "unscrupulous" breeders who put profit before welfare and irresponsible owners would be more beneficial. Among these groups are the Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Association.

Other campaigners say that a ban will not take dogs off the streets, they point out that putting down hundreds, potentially thousands, of dogs on mass would be deeply unpopular with the British public.