The potentially dangerous dog breeds are a subject of continuous debate among owners, veterinarians, ethologists and legislators, especially when it comes to a point like the United Kingdom, where American dogs Bully XL breed is prohibited.
This is due to a series of deadly attacks that have occurred in the country of Britain. The Environment Secretary, Therese Coffey, summoned experts last week to draft the country’s Dangerous Dog Law, which would include banning certain breeds.
“Dog attacks are devastating to victims and their families, and it’s clear that more needs to be done now to stop them and protect the public. That’s why we’re taking decisive action to ban American Bully XL ,” Coffey said at the time. He also announced that this step will be taken by the end of the year.
Dogs of this breed have been involved in almost five incidents in the UK in the last three years, the latest in Walsall in the West Midlands region of England.
The XL is the largest of the four types of American Bully: standard, pocket, classic and XL. It can weigh more than 60kg and is as strong as an adult. According to pages like Smyle Pets, a Bully XL costs between 1,000 and 1,500 euros.
This breed is banned in other countries such as Türkiye and United Arab Emirates. In Spain, although not included in the list of Annex I of the Royal Decree 287/2002, of March 22, of Potentially Dangerous Dogs. Vets assure that it should be treated as such.
“This consideration is determined by the origin of the breed, which crosses the Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire and Old English Bulldog (the first two legally considered dangerous breeds), and by its morphological characteristics, usually in this type of dog.”, the College of Veterinarians of the Principality of Asturias explains on their website.
Despite this accusation and ban, veterinarians defend that this is a discriminatory measure that can also euthanize dogs of this breed. As the president of the National Canine Association (ACCAM), María Eugenia Ribelles, told ABC, “American Bullies are super muscular dogs that can be ‘dangerous’ like English Bulldogs or French Bulldogs.”
“What we cannot do is to stigmatize a breed of dog and at the same time stigmatize and discriminate against those who like that breed,” he added and emphasized that these dogs should be adopted by people with experience to raise animals and aggressive behaviors They are caused by bad practices in education and companionship of animals.
