Is the UK Killing Bully Breeds or Saving Lives

The UK has a complex history with bully breeds, and opinions on the matter are sharply divided.

The UK's Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 was introduced in response to a public outcry over dog attacks, but it has been criticized for unfairly targeting certain breeds.

The Act made it an offence to own or breed certain breeds, including the Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, and Japanese Tosa.

This led to widespread breeding of these dogs in secret, making them even harder to identify and regulate.

Since the Act's introduction, there has been a significant decrease in dog attacks in the UK.

However, some argue that this is due to a decrease in the overall number of dogs being kept as pets, rather than a genuine reduction in aggression.

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The ban on XL Bully dogs in England and Wales is set to take effect on Sunday, following a September announcement by the UK government.

The breed was added to the list of banned dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, after a rise in fatal attacks involving the breed in the country.

The UK government's website states that starting December 31, it will be against the law to sell, abandon or let stray, give away and breed from an XL Bully dog, as well as to have one in public without a lead and muzzle.

Owners will have until February 1 to register their XL Bully dogs, as it will be a criminal offense to own one without a certificate of exemption.

The XL Bully breed type is a variant of the American Bully breed type, developed through the crossing of various bull breeds, including the American Pit Bull Terrier.

The XL Bully breed type is typically larger and more muscular than other Bully breed variant types.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to bring in a ban after a man died after being savaged by two XL Bully dogs in September, calling the breed "a danger to communities."

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Pit Bulls are not a breed, but rather a loose term used to describe a group of dogs that share similar characteristics.

Despite this, Pit Bulls are often discriminated against and blamed for violent attacks, with officials regularly classifying dogs involved in incidents as Pit Bulls without a clear definition of the breed.

The American XL Bully, a dog that shares physical features with Pit Bulls, is not recognized by the American Kennel Club, but is recognized by the United Kennel Club.

Pit Bull is often used as an identification weapon to discriminate against a slew of animals, thanks to preexisting stereotypes and a loose definition.

Experts and research have confirmed that breed does not determine behavior absolutely, and that genetics interact with environment to shape behavior.

The ASPCA states that a dog's genetics may predispose it to behave in certain ways, but genetics do not exist in a vacuum, and behavior develops through a complex interaction between environment and genetics.

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Adam Spivey, a dog trainer, points out that backyard breeding culture and poor pet parenting are the true culprits behind animal attacks, not the breed itself.

Prime Minister Sunak plans to utilize the country's Dangerous Dogs Act to outlaw the American XL Bully, despite admitting that the dog lacks a definitive classification.

In the UK, certain breeds of dogs are under scrutiny due to concerns about their behavior and the costs associated with caring for them. The XL bully breed is one such example.

The cost of euthanizing an XL bully can be as high as £400, with the added expense of cremation and additional drugs needed to put the dog to sleep.

Vets are now facing a difficult decision, where they may be asked to put to sleep healthy dogs whose behavior poses no risk, simply because of their breed.

The government is offering £200 towards the cost of euthanizing an XL bully, but this compensation is seen as insufficient by many.

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Dogs are being affected by the government's ban on American XL Bullies.

Some owners are facing a difficult decision about what to do with their dogs. The government is offering £200 towards the cost of putting the dog to sleep, but this doesn't come close to replacing the love and affection of a much-loved pet.

The cost of euthanizing a big dog like an XL bully is high, at between £350 to £400. This is due to the size of the dog and the increased costs of cremation.

Rescue charities are being put under strain by the need to neuter XL bullies by February. If the timeframe for neutering is not extended, charities like Blue Cross will have to stop other essential work, such as vaccinations and routine neutering.

The Blue Cross has over 1,000 XL bullies that it will neuter for their owners.

The Beast is a particularly vicious XL bully that was involved in a fatal attack on a 10-year-old boy named Jack Lis nearly two years ago.

The boy's mother, Emma Whitfield, has been a vocal critic of the government's slow response to the growing problem of dog attacks in the UK.

The Beast's attack was one of several that have resulted in the deaths of children in the UK, with a total of 11 confirmed deaths attributed to XL bully attacks since 2021.

Emma Whitfield is urging the government to tackle the root cause of the problem, which she believes is the existence of backyard breeders who continue to create new breeds of aggressive dogs.

The Bullywatch website claims that XL bully-type or crossbreed dogs now account for the majority of dog attacks in the UK, highlighting the need for urgent action to address the issue.

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