American XL Bully dogs involved in another fatal attack in East London

The incident took place on Monday afternoon in Hornchurch in East London. The police confirmed that the dogs were of the American XL Bully breed and that their owner had the required permit to own them.

This is at least the second case of a fatal mauling by dogs of this breed since the ban on owning them without a permit took effect in England and Wales on February 1st (the ban came into force in Scotland a few weeks later).

Owners who applied for an exemption from the ban before the end of January must have their dogs neutered, covered by liability insurance, microchipped, and they can only walk them in public places with a muzzle and on a leash. According to the British Ministry of Environment, over 35,000 owners of this breed have obtained an exemption from the ban.

However, a significant number of owners ignored the ban—it's estimated that there are at least several thousand dogs of this breed illegally possessed. These owners face the confiscation of their dogs for euthanasia, unlimited fines, and, in the case of a dog attack on a person, imprisonment.

The ban on owning American XL Bully dogs was introduced after several high-profile attacks by this breed on people last year. According to data cited by British media, from 2001 to 2021, there were an average of three fatal dog maulings per year in the United Kingdom. In 2022-23, there were 23 such incidents, with more than half of them involving the American XL Bully breed.

The American Bully is a breed developed in the 1980s, primarily from the American Pit Bull Terrier. The XL is a larger version of the American Bully, weighing over 130 lbs. It is the fifth breed to be listed as prohibited in the United Kingdom. In addition, the American Pit Bull Terrier, Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro are also banned.