globalThe BBC has learned that since XL hooligans were banned almost a year ago, police have destroyed an average of more than three dangerous dogs a day.
Forces in England and Wales say the costs of kenneling the thousands of dogs seized for months at a time have increased six-fold to £25m a year and many facilities were at capacity.
But dog attacks in many areas show no signs of abating. Of the 25 police forces that responded to the BBC’s Freedom of Information Act requests, 22 said they were prepared to see more incidents reported this year.
Months after the ban, XL bullying victim Lisa Willis said the attack felt like a “horror movie” and the law was “useless”.
She said owners of dogs like those that destroyed her wing should be banned from buying any more animals. However, in her case, the owner had her dog replaced “within weeks.”
New laws banning the breeding and sale of XL goons came into effect on December 31 last year after a number of high-profile attacks, some of which were fatal. In February, it became illegal to own this type of dog, unless it was registered before a certain date.
There are now five banned dog breeds in the UK – the XL cat, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Doga Argentino and Fela Brasileiro. Before the ban, registered dogs must be neutered, muzzled in public and kept in safe conditions.
When the law was introduced, the UK government suggested there were around 10,000 XL bully dogs in England and Wales, but this was a huge underestimate – there are now more than 57,000 dogs registered with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. are Defra).
Freedom of Information Act responses from 19 police forces in England and Wales show that in the first eight months of 2024:
- 1,991 suspected contraband dogs were seized, up from 283 in 2023.
- 818 dogs were euthanized, more than double the number in 2023.
Some seized dogs remain in police kennels for months until their breed or type is confirmed, with more than half of the forces that provided answers about their kennels saying they were full or close to full. are
Chief Constable Mark Hobro, who leads the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) for dangerous dogs, said the law change had put significant pressure on police forces and added an “unbelievable” extra cost to absorb. .
Costs for kennels and veterinary bills rose from £4m to £25m, but this does not include the extra costs of training staff, buying extra vehicles and equipment, renting short-term kennels and the wider operational costs of policing more dangerous dogs. were More than ever, he said.
He said the NPCC XL is putting forward “a strong plea” for more government money to meet the needs of the bullying ban.
The heads of 43 police forces in England and Wales also want the law changed to give officers alternative ways of dealing with people found in possession of dangerous dogs.
Part of what makes the ban difficult to police is that whether a dog XL is a bully can require specialist training and sometimes outside expertise, which means keeping dogs in kennels for long periods of time.
The government published guidance to help identify XL bullies, which are defined as a “type” of dog because they are not a breed recognized by the Kennel Club. They are described as large dogs “with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great power and strength.” [their] size”
Expert evaluators told us that up to a third of dogs registered with Defra are not XL bullies, but there is still no guidance on how to remove them from the register.
Police chiefs want to see changes that will allow them to warn responsible owners who unwittingly buy an XL rogue. have taken, while they have strong powers to stop illegal breeders and persistent offenders.
Defra said the ban on XL bullies was “an important measure to protect public safety” and it would continue to work with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to prevent dog attacks. using the full force of law where necessary”.
In Lisa’s case, she was walking with her terrier Duke in June when a French bulldog attacked her. A few moments later an XL bully-type dog came out of a garden, crossed the road and attacked Lisa.
“I just thought it was going to kill me,” she said. “It was so powerful, it literally hung from my arm and no matter what, I couldn’t take it off.”
Bystanders heard her screams and helped the dog off her, but her arm was cut, she said. She feared she would bleed to death and told her rescuers to call her husband “so I can say goodbye”.
Lisa, Conn We were contacted by Your Voice, Your BBC News about her story.taken to hospital. The animal that attacked him was seized by the police and destroyed the same day – standard procedure when a dog is involved in a serious incident.
She is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and says she feels “powerless” to prevent something like this from happening again.
“I need to make sure these people get the consequences for their actions because if this continues, somebody else is going to be killed, somebody else is going to be attacked,” he said.
Additional reporting by Jonathan Figg and Emily Doughty