Following a string of deadly attacks, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the American Bully XL dog breed should be banned. Last Thursday, a man died from “another suspected XL Bully attack”, the Prime Minister said in a speech.
On Saturday, an 11-year-old girl was attacked in Birmingham by what is believed to be an American Bully XL. The girl suffered bite wounds and two men who tried to break up the attack had to be hospitalized, the BBC reports.
On Thursday, a 52-year-old man died in Birmingham in an attack by what is believed to be the same breed of dog.
Last year, 6 out of 10 fatal attacks were made by American Bully XL.
Now the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak demands that the dog be banned.
– It is clear that it is not just a matter of a handful of poorly trained dogs, but a pattern of behavior, and it cannot be allowed to continue, Sunak said on Friday.
All breeds allowed in Sweden
In Great Britain, the Dangerous Dogs Act was introduced in 1991. It is the one that may also include the mixed breed American Bully XL – which can weigh up to 60 kilograms and has been bred from breeds such as American pit bull, American bulldog, English bulldog and Amstaff.
The American Bully XL is not officially recognized as a breed by the British Kennel Club, which means it may be difficult to ban under the Dangerous Dogs Act in the UK.
“Careful and friendly”
According to the American Kennel Club, it is actually a nice family dog that is “cautious and friendly”, despite its “powerful appearance”.
Several of our neighboring countries have bans on certain dog breeds, in Denmark there are 13 dog breeds on the list. In Sweden there are no such prohibitions.
The Swedish Kennel Club points out that dogs can have different basic temperaments, but that it is the owner’s responsibility to give the dog the right training and care. They encourage the breeding of dogs that are “healthy”, both physically and mentally.