On 23 May of the previous year, Keven Jones, a 65-year-old man, went to his son’s house in Wrexham, north Wales, to assist with taking care of his dogs while his son was away at a football match. Suddenly, Jones shouted, “He’s got me!” His daughter-in-law rushed downstairs to find him lying in a pool of blood. One of the dogs, a two-year-old American bully XL named Cookie, had bitten him on the leg. Unfortunately, Jones later died from blood loss, and Cookie was euthanized by a vet.
This incident is not isolated. Over the past five years, dog attacks have increased by more than a third. In 2022 alone, there were approximately 22,000 cases of injury caused by out-of-control dogs, compared to just over 16,000 in 2018. There were four fatal dog attacks in 2021, two of which involved a bully XL. In 2022, the number rose to 10 fatal attacks, six of which involved a bully XL. These large animals, weighing over 60kg, were also responsible for at least two of the five recorded deaths this year.
In January, 28-year-old dog walker Natasha Johnston was attacked and killed by her own dog, an American bully XL, while walking eight dogs in Gravelly Hill, Caterham. In May, Jonathan Hogg, 37, was killed after being bitten on his arm, leg, and head by a bully XL he was looking after in Greater Manchester.
With an estimated 13 million pet dogs in Britain and only a few thousand American bully XLs, there have been calls to ban this seemingly uncontrollable breed. But are they inherently dangerous?
Daren, a dog owner, bought two American bully XLs named Elvis and Priscilla when they were eight weeks old. Now two and a half years old, they weigh about 68kg each, twice as much as a Labrador. Daren describes them as beautiful and powerful dogs. He acknowledges that their strength and size require careful training, stating that they can cause serious harm if not properly controlled.
Sarah, another dog owner, owns two pocket-size American bully dogs, a smaller version of the bully XL, weighing around 40kg. She vouches for their good nature and denies understanding the breed’s negative reputation.
Despite owning bully XLs, both Daren and Sarah emphasize the importance of responsible ownership and training. They believe that dogs should be judged based on their individual actions and not solely on their breed.
However, there are growing concerns about the breed’s reputation. Bully Watch, a group of dog owners, tracks dog attacks in the UK and believes that American bully XLs and bully mixes are responsible for 45% of dog attacks this year. Some speculate that certain owners are training these dogs to be aggressive for status or protection purposes.
London-based animal photographer Chris Knight agrees that some owners use American bully XLs as status symbols or guard dogs, contributing to the breed’s negative image. He has personally never had issues with the breed during his photoshoots.
The debate over the American bully XL breed continues, with organizations like the RSPCA and the UK Bully Kennel Club opposing breed-specific legislation. They argue that dog aggression is complex and should not be solely attributed to a specific type or breed. Others, including Conservative MP Sir John Hayes, advocate for a ban on the breed, labeling them inherently dangerous.
As the discussion unfolds, it is crucial to focus on responsible ownership, proper training, and assessing each dog’s behavior individually rather than generalizing based on breed stereotypes.
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