Dog attacks rose in the first five months of the ban on the XL pestras, figures obtained by The independent Unveiled – As police chiefs warn, the legislation will not be “at night solution”.
Under the Change to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 last year, on 1 February it became illegal to have an XL bullying head without a certificate of exemption.
The announcement by that time was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak inspired by a series of attacks involving the breed, including the fatal mauling of a man by two dogs near Walsall in the West Midlands.
But the movement was confronted with the opposition of animal welfare groups, such as the RSPCA and Dogs Trust, who said that prohibiting the XL -Pestkop attacks would not stop, while emphasizing a “lack of data” behind the decision.
On Wednesday, Chief Constable Mark Harborough admitted that the Council of the National Police Chiefs had not yet seen any evidence of a reduction in dog attacks, although official figures are not yet available.
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The officers expect that the number of XL bullying heads will gradually decrease over time, but warned that it will not be a “nocturnal solution” and will be a “generation change” that includes the life of a dog.
In August, data obtained by The independent Showed the number of registered incidents of dogs outside the control that people injured or accompanying dogs had risen by nine percent since the prohibition came in.
In the five months since 1 February, 6,392 attacks were registered by the police in England and Wales, against 5,888 in the same period in 2023. The data came from 27 police services that responded to a request for freedom of information.
Since the ban there have also been at least seven fatal dog attacks. They include the death of Esther Martin, who was attacked by two XL bullying heads in Essex. Ashley Warren, 40, has denied being in charge of a dog that caused injury to death, while they were dangerous in a private place.
Esther Martin, who was deadly repelled by two XL Bully Dogs in Jaywick, Essex. A man has been charged by the police for the incident on 3 February (PA)
In August, David Daintree died when his own XL best head dog turned on him in his house in Accrington. In the same month, Nicholas Glass was found dead in the garden of a family member after he had been beaten by four dogs – two of whicih were XL bullying heads.
XL Bully owner Sophie Coulthard said that the figures proven that race-conducted legislation was not the solution to tackle the number of attacks. Last year she received the green light to present a High Court challenge for the ban on the government's breed.
Spend against The independentShe said: “The prime minister [Rishi Sunak] Said it was important to keep the public safe, but this prohibition did not keep the public safe.
“We said all the time that it was a knee shock reaction and that there was a chance for real reform in the UK and much better legislation, and this [the data] Show that. “
Mrs. Coulthard said that an increase in dog ownership during the pandemic – 11 million in 2023 compared to 9.6 million in 2021, according to Charity PDSA – led to irresponsible breeding, which in turn contributed to the increase in attacks.
She said that XL Bully Dogs had kept a disproportionate one for dog attacks, while other breeds did not get the same exposure.
“This was a rapid victory of a conservative government that was in a position where they had to win votes and put signs in boxes while they were struggling, and as we can see now, it did not make the solution we all wanted,” ” Added MS Coulthard. She wants a stricter license schedule for breeders to enforce well -being and good ownership.
Sophie Coulthard and her XL Bully Dog. She says that the prohibition of government was a knee shock reaction and would not reduce dog attacks (Sophie Coulthard)
Dogs Trust and the RSPCA are part of the Dog Control Coalition, which strongly opposed the ban on bullying heads.
The group had also set up a representative of a work party by Defra aimed at reducing dog bites and promoting responsible dog ownership. Despite the end in July 2023, the findings have not yet been published.
A spokesperson for Dogs Trust said: “We do not believe that prohibiting further types of dogs is an effective or sustainable solution for protecting public safety.
“Width specific legislation does not deliver what it has been designed to do. It has not reduced hospital admissions of dog bites, it has not improved public safety and it has not reduced the number of dogs that meets the varieties or species against it. “
The group, which wants work to urgently assess legislation, also said that a ban on races led to the 'Unnecessary suffering and euthanasia of many dogs ”. After the prohibition on XL bullies, the National Police Chefs Council said that 848 dogs were surrendered by their owners and equipped, without assessing their dangerality, which means the troops £ 340k cost vets.
The first year of XL Bully Ban is estimated that the police only cost £ 25 million to veterinarian and knowledge costs, the NPCC said
In August RSPCA's dog welfare expert Dr. Samantha Gaines told The independent She was not surprised by the increase in attacks and insisted on changing its approach to the protection of the public at the new Labor Government.
Supporters of the XL Bully Breed during a protest against banning the dogs in Central London last year (Getty)
“This current approach does not work, as is apparent from these figures, and needs a complete overhaul, not only to better protect public safety, but also to guarantee good dog welfare,” she said.
“We want to see that the government undertakes to tackle the random causes of aggressive behavior in dogs that are complex, but include improving and maintaining current regulations for breeding and dog management, and to promote responsible dog ownership, to the Public safety to effectively protect, while it is also effective to effectively protect public safety, while ensuring better dog welfare. '
However, there are some who say that the ban on bullying works.
The Center for Evidence-based regulation of dangerous dogs (Cebrdd) claimed in August that the breed was proportionally behind more attacks than any other race in 2023.
A spokesperson told The independent That the prohibition had been effective to stop the sale of the dogs and prevent attacks in public.
He claimed that scientific research demonstrated that the dogs were almost three times more likely to kill than any other race, and added that movements for responsible property and education, although important, were less effective without breed bans.
The Cebrdd emphasized the fatal dog attacks by XLS and also said that the turnout could have been to an update in Crown Prosecution Service guidance with dog-on-dog attacks that are now being considered under the offenses recorded by police services.
The ban on bullying heads was given a cross support last year, including Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer and then Shadow Environment Secretary Steve, who promised to update the Dangerous Dogs Act and assess the list of dangerous varieties as his party the elections won.
Other forbidden varieties are American Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos and Fila Brasileiros.
In August, a Defra spokesperson said: “Current attacks show that we have to do more to protect the public against dangerous dogs.
“We continue to collaborate with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership in all races. The prohibition on XL bullying heads is there to protect public safety, and we expect all XL bully to meet the conditions. “
