Dog attacks have continued to rise despite a ban on the XL Bullies, exclusive figures obtained by The Independent reveal, as campaign groups slammed the “knee-jerk” policy while demanding an overhaul of legislation by the new Labour government.
Under a change to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 last year, it became illegal to own a XL Bully without a certificate of exemption on 1 February.
The announcement by Rishi Sunak was prompted by a series of attacks involving the breed, including the fatal mauling of a man by two dogs near Walsall in the West Midlands.
But the move faced opposition from animal welfare groups, such as the RSPCA and Dogs Trust, who said banning the XL Bully would not stop attacks while highlighting a “lack of data” behind the decision.
Data obtained by The Independent shows the number of recorded incidents of out-of-control dogs injuring people or guide dogs soared by nine per cent since the ban came in.
In the five months since 1 Febuary there were 6,392 attacks recorded by police in England and Wales, up from 5,888 in the same period in 2023. The data came from 27 police forces who responded to a Freedom of Information request.
Since the ban there have also been at least seven fatal dog attacks. They include the killing of Esther Martin, who was attacked by two XL Bullies in Essex. A 40-year-old man has been charged by police over the grandmother’s death.
XL Bully owner Sophie Coulthard said the figures proved breed-led legislation was not the solution to tackling the number of attacks. Last month, she was given the green light to bring forward a High Court challenge against the government’s ban on the breed.
Speaking to The Independent, she said: “The PM [Rishi Sunak] said it was important to keep the public safe, but this ban has not kept the public safe.
“We said all along it was a knee-jerk reaction and that there was an opportunity for real reform in the UK and much better legislation, and this [the data] shows that.”
Ms Coulthard said a surge in dog ownership during the pandemic – 11 million in 2023 compared to 9.6 million in 2021, according to charity PDSA – led to irresponsible breeding which contributed to the rise in attacks.
She said that XL Bully dogs had been disproportionately headlined for dog attacks, while other breeds didn’t get the same exposure.
“This was a quick win from a conservative government which was in a postion where they needed to win votes and put ticks in boxes while they were struggling, and as we can see now it has not brought the solution we all wanted,” added Ms Coulthard who wants a stricter licensing scheme for breeders to enforce welfare and good ownership.
The Dogs Trust and RSPCA are part of the Dog Control Coalition which strongly opposed the ban on XL Bully dogs.
The group also had a representative on a working party set up by Defra aimed at reducing dog bites and promoting responsible dog ownership – which despite finishing in July 2023, has not had the findings published yet.
A spokesperson for the Dogs Trust said: “We do not believe that banning further types of dog is an effective or sustainable solution to protecting public safety.
“Breed specific legislation fails to deliver what it was designed to do. It has not reduced hospital admissions from dog bites, it has not improved public safety and it has not reduced the number of dogs conforming to the breeds or types it legislates against.”
The group, which wants Labour to urgently review legislation, also said a ban on breeds led to the “unnecessary suffering and euthanasia of many dogs”. Following the ban on XL Bully dogs, Defra received 405 claims for compensation from owners and rescue centres for putting dogs down.
However, some 57,000 dogs have been registered with Defra, meaning many XL Bully owners have kept their pets under the requirement they keep them muzzled and on a lead in public.
