XL Bully owners from around the country gathered in London today to protest Rishi Sunak’s plan to ban the breed.
The breed will be banned by the end of this year following a series of attacks including a dad who was killed by two XL bullies.
But owners insist the animals are safe and it is only the minority of XL bullies that are dangerous.
But strangely enough while many XL bully owners were out in full force on London’s streets, they didn’t take their dogs with them.
Before the event, a message went out: ‘Please do not take your dogs to protest.
‘The police will antagonise and seize your dog.’
Protesters held placards on a march to parliament which read: ‘Don’t bully our bullies’ while another declared ‘stop bullying our best friends’.
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A funny t-shirt featured a photoshopped picture of Rishi with him in a dog muzzle with the slogan ‘Muzzle Rishi, don’t bully our breed’.
Michelle West made placards for the rally showing her dog Ossie with seven-year-old daughter Elizabeth.
She told Kent Online: ‘People need to take responsibility for their dog. They are blaming the wrong end of the lead.
‘I’ve never known a dog so affectionate and soppy.
‘He just wants to be near you all the time and loves being cuddled and squeezed.’
In his statement, Rishi Sunak said: ‘The American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children.
‘I share the nation’s horror at the recent videos we’ve all seen. Yesterday we saw another suspected XL Bully dog attack, which has tragically led to a fatality.
‘It’s clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs: it’s a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.
‘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.
‘Today, I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts to firstly define the breed of dog behind these attacks with a view to then outlawing it.
‘It is not currently a breed defined in law so this vital first step must happen fast.
‘We will then ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be in place by the end of the year.’
Other recent attacks by XL bullies include Mohammed Sami Raza who was left covered in blood with horrendous injuries to his arms and legs.
Any ban will include an amnesty for existing owners as long as their pets are registered, neutered and muzzled when in public.
Government officials stressed by requiring all owners to get their bully dogs neutered, the breed would simply die out. There are currently no plans for a cull.
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