Latest news with #XLBullies
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
XL Bully rips man's ear off while he's asleep with his nose left 'hanging off'
WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES: Darren Shuttleworth-Long, from Swindon, Wiltshire was asleep when an aggressive XL Bully attacked him out of the blue, leaving him badly injured A church volunteer was viciously attacked by an XL Bully while he was asleep, with the banned breed ripping off the man's ear. Darren Shuttleworth-Long was looking after the dog, which isn't his, when he was set upon on April 26 earlier this year at an address in Exeter Street, Swindon. The 52-year-old had fallen asleep next to the pet but woke up to it with its jaw locked underneath his armpit. The dog continued to attack and bite Darren, from Swindon, Wiltshire, for around 10 minutes. The XL Bully managed to tear his right ear off and also left half of Darren's nose "hanging off". Darren, a volunteer at his local church, said: "I went to sleep and had the dog asleep next to me. I woke up and it had latched on the side of me. I managed to move it off. "It attacked me again and hit me on the side. I crashed against the bedroom door and locked myself in with the dog. He was having a go on my right ear. He bit my ear off. He hit me about eight to ten times - I thought 'I'm in serious trouble'." Darren says the attack was unprompted and lasted for around ten minutes before he was able to get away from the dog. He said: "My whole right side of my face was numb. "There was blood everywhere. It was pouring out of me. It was like a horror movie. My whole face was covered in blood. Half my nose was hanging off." After Darren was finally able to get away from the dog, he was rushed to Bristol's Southmead Hospital where he spent three days in ICU and had what was left of his ear stitched up. He said: "The tissue had to come off - there was nothing to attach it to." Now he is awaiting plastic surgery to have his ear reconstructed. Wiltshire Police confirmed a 24-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury. She has been released on bail pending further enquiries. Darren has been recovering since and now struggles to go out. He said: "I can't go anywhere near big dogs now. It's a long lasting stress that will be there for the rest of my life now." He is waiting for the soft tissue on his ear to harden before he can then have an appointment with a plastic surgeon to look at reconstruction. Darren said: "Dogs barking sends cold chills through me." Since February 1, 2024, owning the XL Bully breed has become a criminal offence in England and Wales unless owners have an exemption certificate and anyone who owns one of the dogs needs to have the animal neutered and microchipped. Owners must now register and neuter them, and keep them muzzled and on a lead in public. It is illegal to breed or pass them on. The number of attacks by XL Bullies is expected to decrease over the next decade in correlation with a decline in ownership of the dogs. XL Bullies have been blamed for at least 17 fatal attacks since 2020.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Revealed: The number of XL Bullies surrendered in Tipperary since ban introduced
The ban on the dogs was brought in amid fears for public safety after the death of Limerick woman Nicole Morey who was mauled to death by her two XL Bully dogs last June, one of a number of serious dog attacks by the breed. The ban was brought in over two stages to give XL Bully type dog owners who wished to keep their dog, the time to obtain a certificate of exemption. So far, up to 1,800 applications for certificates of exemptions have been made nationwide, with almost 1,000 granted. The ban also offered the owners of XL Bully type dogs the option of surrendering them to their local authority. In Tipperary, up to the end of March, just two dogs have been surrendered to Tipperary County Council. Figures released to the Dáil by Minister for Rural and Community Development Dara Calleary showed that 48 dogs had been surrendered so far since the ban was introduced. The Minister said that the ban came in the 'interest of public safety'. "Members of the public must comply with the regulations. Any owner found to be in breach of the regulations will have committed an offence under the Control of Dogs Act 1986. "Responsibility for the enforcement of the regulations rests with the individual local authorities, who are empowered to seize XL Bully type dogs where necessary under the relevant statutory provisions,' Minister Calleary said. The area which saw the largest number of XL Bullies surrendered was Dublin, with 11, followed by Limerick (10) and Cork City with four.
Press and Journal
3 days ago
- General
- Press and Journal
Inside Aberdeen's danger dog crackdown as police lift lid on illegal breeds after XL bully kills owner
Police bosses have lifted the lid on their efforts to clamp down on Aberdeen danger dogs since the controversial XL Bully ban a year ago. The force was asked to compile the dossier, recently presented to council chiefs, after a woman was killed by one of the dogs in a savage attack on Foresterhill Road. Michelle McLeod died in December when her XL Bully named Bailey turned violent. Described by her family as a 'beloved mum, daughter and friend', Michelle was pronounced dead at the scene. Bailey was euthanised following the tragic incident. This is just one of the danger dogs police have dealt with across the city in the past 12 months. The UK Government has outlawed the ownership of certain dog breeds deemed to be dangerous. These dogs are seized by police and are often later euthanised. However, there are exemptions where owners are deemed fit and meet several requirements. This includes muzzling, microchipping, neutering, and more. The report details that there are more than 3,300 certificated dangerous dogs across Scotland. And 278 of these are registered to the Aberdeen area. XL Bully dogs were added to the banned breed list in the UK in February 2024. It later became illegal to own one without an exemption certificate in July of that year. This new report reveals that, between April 1 last year and March 31 in 2025, there were 50 cases related to dogs recorded by police in Aberdeen. It should be noted that only 13 of these cases involve XL Bullies, with no other banned breeds featuring across the cases. These 13 cases involve only 10 different dogs, with seven recorded as dogs 'dangerously out of control' and six offences linked to exemption conditions. Four dogs were put down after their owners were charged with offences. The 50 cases of dog-related incidents in Aberdeen are an increase on the numbers from previous years. In the same timespan between 2023 and 2024, there were 38 dog-related cases recorded, with 37 categorised as dogs dangerously out of control, and one instance where a dog was not muzzled or on a lead. The year between 2022 to 2023 saw 32 cases, all of which were dogs dangerously out of control. Each of these two previous years' cases did not involve any banned breeds. Despite numbers suggesting an increase in dangerous dogs in the Granite City, the number of out-of-control dogs has declined from the previous year. This goes to show that the increase in dog-related crimes is more linked to the legislation banning XL Bullys.
Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Vets and behaviour experts name dog breeds you should 'never own'
Even experts who don't believe in a 'banned list' for breeds say there are some dog types you should avoid XL Bullies became the latest breed added to the banned list in the UK in 2023, joining pit bull terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. But vets and animal experts say there are a number of other breeds they would 'never own' and would not recommend as family pets - because they could be difficult, dangerous or unsuitable. The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was introduced in the UK in response to a series of high-profile dog attacks. It makes it illegal to own, breed, sell, gift, abandon, or exchange a banned dog or let any dog be dangerously out of control in a public or private place. But regardless of the legislation, animal experts say there are some dogs people should not let into their homes. Dr Aimee Warner, resident veterinarian at Waggel, said: "A high-energy breed like a Border Collie or a Belgian Malinois works beautifully with seasoned owners who are able to provide them with structure, stimulation and all sorts of outlets for exercise. Without that, these breeds will learn other unwanted behaviours due to boredom or frustration. When selecting a breed, you will need to consider how much room and time you have and your experience – not all breeds are ideal for all homes. "I respect all breeds but based on my lifestyle, I wouldn't consider owning a Caucasian Shepherd. They are beautiful and intelligent, but since they were bred to protect livestock, they can be territorial and aloof by nature, which can be problematic in the wrong situation. The Caucasian Shepherd needs experienced owners who can handle them, make sure they get enough exercise, and can provide the needed tough socialisation." She added: "Any dog — any breed — can be made into a killer through bad socialisation or bad handling. We would be much better served shutting down licensing, raising training to a requirement, raising punishment for bad ownership, rather than demonising entire breeds." Lucy Miller, a Qualified Veterinary Physiotherapist, MSc at Step Ahead Veterinary Physiotherapy, said: "I've worked with almost every dog breed out there and I can say with confidence that no breed is inherently 'bad'. However, some breeds are consistently mismatched with the wrong types of owners and that's where the danger lies. "I strongly advise the average dog owner—especially first time owners — against breeds like the Belgian Malinois , Caucasian Shepherd or Presa Canario . These are super intelligent, powerful dogs bred for guarding, protection and military style work. A Belgian Malinois for example has a drive and intensity that most pet owners underestimate. "They need hours of physical activity, daily mental stimulation and a handler who understands working dog psychology. Without that they can become frustrated, reactive and destructive. I've treated too many Malinois with behavioural issues because people adopted them based on looks or reputation without understanding their needs. "If I was asked personally which breed I would never own it would be the Wolfdog—any hybrid between a domestic dog and a wolf. These animals are beautiful but they retain wild instincts that can make them very difficult to manage. I've seen Wolfdogs escape from secure enclosures, destroy homes and exhibit unpredictable aggression especially during maturity when their instincts kick in. They're not reliable around children, have complex dietary needs and many of them have extremely poor tolerance for restraint or veterinary handling." First-generation wolf-dogs need to be licensed under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. Lucy said: "I'm against breed-specific legislation because it punishes dogs based on appearance, not behaviour. However regulations —like mandatory licensing, behaviour evaluations or required training — could be beneficial for breeds that statistically present a higher risk when improperly owned. Breeds like the Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian Mastiff) and Tosa Inu have a history of being bred for aggression and used in fighting. I've treated dogs from these breeds that were great in the right home — but I've also seen devastating bite injuries from individuals who had no business owning such powerful, assertive animals. "These dogs need experienced handlers, secure containment and socialisation from a very young age. Without that the consequences can be deadly — not just for humans but for the dogs who often pay the price for human irresponsibility." Annie-Mae Levy, a professional dog trainer and behaviorist at Woofz, said: "Personally would never own a high-energy dog as I am honest with myself - I'm pretty lazy on weekdays. I often spend 4-5 hours outdoors walking and training with clients and their dogs, so the last thing I feel like doing is getting home and spending hours exercising and training my own pets. "I love running with my dogs and going for 2-4 hour hikes, maybe once a week, but a high-energy breed needs this daily, not just when I fancy it. I am not a suitable owner for breeds such as: Collies, Malinois, Pointers, Vizsla, Spaniels, etc, unless I want to change my lifestyle in the future. " Adding dogs to a banned breed list does little to nothing to stop bite incidents. In my opinion, we need to take more proactive action and follow in the footsteps of countries such as Germany, which require a dog licence, involving both a theoretical and practical exam to own a dog." Ben Doyle, owner of Dirty Bertie Dog Shampoo, said: " It's about choosing a dog that suits your lifestyle, energy levels, and experience. High-drive, high-intelligence working breeds like Border Collies are incredible animals. But they're not the best choice for your average busy family that works all day. Without the right stimulation, they will create their own job, and it might involve dismantling your sofa. I've seen this happen time and again." On which breed he would never own, Ben said: " Honestly? Any breed I can't give the life it needs. That's a personal decision, not a judgment on the dog. If I can't give a husky two hours of exercise a day, it's not fair to bring one home. That's not the dog's fault, that's me being realistic. He added: "Banning breeds doesn't solve the root problems, it just shifts them. Let's talk about socialisation, training, and support for owners, not scapegoats. The bottom line? Choose the right dog for your life, not just the one that looks cute on Instagram. And if you're not sure? Talk to a rescue or a trainer first, not TikTok."
The Courier
15-05-2025
- General
- The Courier
Angus XL Bully centre launches plea for volunteers amid wait for appeal
An XL Bully charity has mounted a plea for volunteers to look after the dogs at its under-threat Angus sanctuary. All Bullie Charity Rescue continues to draw together its appeal against Angus Council's refusal to grant an animal welfare licence for kennels at Happas, near Forfar. In February councillors unanimously rejected the bid for what would be Scotland's first XL Bully hub. A Forfar Sheriff Court appeal hearing has been set for August. There are currently around 20 animals at the centre close to the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen dual carriageway. Only a small number are XL Bullies. Charity figurehead Kerryanne Shaw has now launched an appeal for helpers at the centre. It follows a recent 'blunt begging' plea for money to help fund vital operations for dogs there. In a post on the charity's Facebook page, Ms Shaw said: 'We need weekend and holiday volunteers as most of our volunteers have children and are unable to help during these times.' She said the role involves 'dog walking, dog training, dog cuddles and slobbery smooches.' 'You will receive training on dog body language, dog handling, training and general care,' Ms Shaw added. 'All new volunteers are supervised in their roles with each individual dog until they are fully confident in their handling.' The charity does not accept volunteers under 18. 'We are a friendly team of dog lovers,' added Ms Shaw. 'We have a variety of different friendly bull breed-type dogs ready to smother you in hair and slobber.' A lack of additional support was a key area highlighted in two damning inspection reports for Happas. A council welfare inspector raised concerns over Ms Shaw being in sole charge of all the dogs.
