Why has the United Kingdom decided to ban the American XL Bully breed?

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced Friday that American XL Bully dogs will be banned in the country later this year following a series of deadly incidents.

After a man recently died from a dog attack in Walsall, the British prime minister shared a video via social media reporting that the government is already working to ban the dog breed.

"The American XL Bully dog is a danger to our community, particularly our children," he said before affirming that he shares "the horror of the nation" for the incidents caused by this breed and that he will no longer allow them to continue.

Sunak revealed that he has already ordered the authorities to analyze the definition and prohibition of the American XL Bully. "Today I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts, to firstly define the breed of dog behind these attacks, with the view to then outlawing it. It is not currently a breed defined in law, so this vital first step must happen fast," he said.

The minister said that since 2021 the American XL Bully has been linked to 14 human deaths. In his opinion, "it is clear" that these dogs have a pattern of bad behavior and that it is not just animals that were poorly trained.

"These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe," he said.

Sunak announced that the prohibition of the breed will be made according to the Dangerous Dogs Act which was introduced in 1991, which states that dogs on the list could be confiscated by law enforcement unless the owners file a waiver in court and prove that the dog does not pose a danger to the community.

Animal charities insist that banning this breed will not stop attacks.

" Thirty -two years of the Dangerous Dogs Act which has focused on banning specific types, has coincided with a troubling increase in dog bites, and fatalities which shows that this approach simply isn't working. The UK Government must tackle the root issue by dealing with the unscrupulous breeders who are putting profit before welfare, and the irresponsible owners whose dogs are dangerously out of control," said the Dog Control Coalition.