What to do if you are attacked by an XL bully

[Teaselmeg]

The whole thing is a mess. Yes there are nice Xl Bully's out there, but so many are badly bred, for £££ not for temperament or good structure and in totally the wrong hands.

Now we live in a ' I want one, so I'm going to have one' society, the XL will just be replaced by a similar not banned breed/type, until the government introduce useful legislation to stop back yard breeding and require a level of competence to actually own a dog.

 

[scruffyponies]

The whole thing is a mess. Yes there are nice Xl Bully's out there, but so many are badly bred, for £££ not for temperament or good structure and in totally the wrong hands.

Now we live in a ' I want one, so I'm going to have one' society, the XL will just be replaced by a similar not banned breed/type, until the government introduce useful legislation to stop back yard breeding and require a level of competence to actually own a dog.

This exactly.

There are honest, capable owners going through hell over this despite doing the 'right thing'; Non XL reported in error (or malice) - police seize dog. XL owners with exemption applied for, but not received or comes back wrong, contacting police for advice - police seize dog. I can't imagine the distress of having my dog taken, not knowing whether it will be returned, or ever be the same after the experience. Can you?

Meanwhile nobody has the political balls to ban criminals from owning dogs, or the time enforce the laws we already have about control or using them to intimidate.

 

[Cortez]

I can't imagine the distress of having my dog taken, not knowing whether it will be returned, or ever be the same after the experience. Can you?

Well, no. Because if it was my dog it would be properly papered, registered, trained, exempted, etc., etc. It also wouldn't be an XLBully in the first place because I'm not that stupid and don't particularly like the type. I have had Rottweilers, Dobermans and German Shepherds in the past, and they were all properly ^^^, so never caused a problem.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think the only thing that will truly protect you is a bloody gun unfortunately, even carrying a knife you need to get it out of your pocket unfold it then try and use it, by then you have probably been bitten multiple times and have the massive thing on top of you.

A friend of mine used to take a big thick walking stick with her when walking her dogs for protection against other dogs mainly, I know she used it on a few occasions but even that you would have to really whack it one to have any impact.

 

[CorvusCorax]

This exactly.

There are honest, capable owners going through hell over this despite doing the 'right thing'; Non XL reported in error (or malice) - police seize dog. XL owners with exemption applied for, but not received or comes back wrong, contacting police for advice - police seize dog. I can't imagine the distress of having my dog taken, not knowing whether it will be returned, or ever be the same after the experience. Can you?

Meanwhile nobody has the political balls to ban criminals from owning dogs, or the time enforce the laws we already have about control or using them to intimidate.

Are there many incidences of this happening?

 

[skinnydipper]

Futile attempts to stop an attack could result in winding the dog up even more.

 

[skinnydipper]

I should imagine it's pretty hard to keep calm when something is trying to tear you apart. I don't know what the answer is. Shooting the b*stards seems to be the most efficient option.

 

[scruffyponies]

Are there many incidences of this happening?

Sadly yes. Council staff have been told to report BSL dogs, but most can't tell the difference between a staffie or mastiff cross and an XL. It's a handy weapon in family or neighbour disputes and DEFRA have (surprise, surprise) made a mess of implementing the whole thing in a hurry, so there seem to be many people having technical problems getting the paperwork.

Lots of people seem to have chosen to exempt non 'type' dogs out of panic that they might be reported by anyone who sees them out walking their dog.
Others have (correctly) assessed that their family dog is a bull dog, staffie or totally unrelated x-breed but are terrified by every disapproving look they get in the street.

My three large breed mastiff types aren't remotely similar to XL's, but if I lived on a council estate surrounded by uneducated trouble-causers I'd be worried sick.

 

[Clodagh]

“Bully dogs like cheese, chicken, ham and sausage”

Thank god I read that article, who knew dogs liked those things!

Well I thought all dogs liked those things. Is it breed specific?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Sadly yes. Council staff have been told to report BSL dogs, but most can't tell the difference between a staffie or mastiff cross and an XL. It's a handy weapon in family or neighbour disputes and DEFRA have (surprise, surprise) made a mess of implementing the whole thing in a hurry, so there seem to be many people having technical problems getting the paperwork.

Lots of people seem to have chosen to exempt non 'type' dogs out of panic that they might be reported by anyone who sees them out walking their dog.
Others have (correctly) assessed that their family dog is a bull dog, staffie or totally unrelated x-breed but are terrified by every disapproving look they get in the street.

My three large breed mastiff types aren't remotely similar to XL's, but if I lived on a council estate surrounded by uneducated trouble-causers I'd be worried sick.

Is this in writing/in the press anywhere?

 

[Tiddlypom]

If as a result of the XL bully ban fewer people decide to own s0dding huge large breed mastiffs and their crosses just in case they get reported as owning a XL bully type then that’s fine by me.

Especially those owners who take them into town so that strangers can make a fuss of them.

 

[Cortez]

Sadly yes. Council staff have been told to report BSL dogs, but most can't tell the difference between a staffie or mastiff cross and an XL. It's a handy weapon in family or neighbour disputes and DEFRA have (surprise, surprise) made a mess of implementing the whole thing in a hurry, so there seem to be many people having technical problems getting the paperwork.

Lots of people seem to have chosen to exempt non 'type' dogs out of panic that they might be reported by anyone who sees them out walking their dog.
Others have (correctly) assessed that their family dog is a bull dog, staffie or totally unrelated x-breed but are terrified by every disapproving look they get in the street.

My three large breed mastiff types aren't remotely similar to XL's, but if I lived on a council estate surrounded by uneducated trouble-causers I'd be worried sick.

Do you have their pedigree or registration papers? That would solve all problems in an instant.

 

[scruffyponies]

Do you have their pedigree or registration papers? That would solve all problems in an instant.

This may come as a surprise, but many dogs don't have such things.
Of mine, two are cross-bred so have no papers at all. The other has her breed written on her adoption firm. She was born in RSPCA kennels, so this would probably hold enough weight to 'identify' her breed for a policeman. If it were a private rescue, probably not.

You can get a dog DNA tested, of course, but this has been proven to hold no weight with courts.
Being a mut shouldn't be enough to condemn a dog, any more than being poor should condemn an owner.

 

[AmyMay]

I think to be fair to @scruffyponies some of us may have heard of incidents of dogs being seized because they were of ‘type’. I certainly have. But equally only after an ‘incident’ requiring police attendance, never just a random knock on the door because someone doesn’t like you.

 

[CorvusCorax]

The DDA has been in place for over 30 years, any responsible person deliberately obtaining a dog of 'type' (and that also refers to anything that looks like a Tosa, Fila, Dogo etc) will already know the risks and mitigate appropriately.

 

[scruffyponies]

I met a fine young dog in the vets a couple of months ago. I took it to be a boxer cross, and it was as calm and friendly as it's possible for a dog to be. As I fussed it, and it politely greeted my dog, I was told it was 'typed' and with it's foster-carer, looking for a home.
I have thought about it a great deal since. No doubt that lovely dog has now been PTS. I still don't believe it was an XL bully, but no matter, it deserved better.

 

[Cortez]

I met a fine young dog in the vets a couple of months ago. I took it to be a boxer cross, and it was as calm and friendly as it's possible for a dog to be. As I fussed it, and it politely greeted my dog, I was told it was 'typed' and with it's foster-carer, looking for a home.
I have thought about it a great deal since. No doubt that lovely dog has now been PTS. I still don't believe it was an XL bully, but no matter, it deserved better.

Why would it have been put to sleep? It's either been found a home or they've got an exemption, and if there was any question about it's type that's what I would do. It's been made really, really simple: get your dog exempted and there won't be a problem, unless it attacks someone/thing.

 

[I'm Dun]

Is this in writing/in the press anywhere?

I've seen two people claiming this. Neither had exempted their dog. I've not spent hours looking but did flick through some XL bully FB pages 2 days ago and nothing of the sort. And if it had happened the gofund me would be up and running and the outraged posts would have started.

I do however have a lovely friend with a tiny staff, think about 19 TTS, shes probably got a bit of something else in her, but is clearly a staff type. My friend has exempted her, muzzled her etc because shes petrified of having her dog taken away. I've tried to talk sense into her, but she thinks for her, she would rather follow the rules and have the dog exempted even though its not of type. And who is to say shes wrong. If it makes her feel safer, then its worth it.

 

[CorvusCorax]

It seems there's a lot of conjecture going on.

 

[marmalade76]

I met a fine young dog in the vets a couple of months ago. I took it to be a boxer cross, and it was as calm and friendly as it's possible for a dog to be. As I fussed it, and it politely greeted my dog, I was told it was 'typed' and with it's foster-carer, looking for a home.
I have thought about it a great deal since. No doubt that lovely dog has now been PTS. I still don't believe it was an XL bully, but no matter, it deserved better.

Thing is some XL bullies have been reportedly calm and friendly until all of a sudden they're not, we saw one on CCTV being just that and a few minutes later it tried to eat it's owner.

 

[SkylarkAscending]

Dunno why you are all giving scruffyponies a hard time, I’ve seen West Mercia Constabulary seize dogs that are ‘of the type’ because they could.

If you want examples, they will be on the WMC Facebook page/website

 

[conniegirl]

Dunno why you are all giving scruffyponies a hard time, I’ve seen West Mercia Constabulary seize dogs that are ‘of the type’ because they could.

If you want examples, they will be on the WMC Facebook page/website

If they are of type and not exempted then that is enough for the police.

Get these dogs off our streets before they kill more people

 

[Cortez]

Dunno why you are all giving scruffyponies a hard time, I’ve seen West Mercia Constabulary seize dogs that are ‘of the type’ because they could.

If you want examples, they will be on the WMC Facebook page/website

No-one is giving anyone a hard time, just applying a bit of logic. The reason WMC "could" is because that's the law. If the dogs were properly registered/exempted or were not in fact a pitbull type then they'd be fine, non?

 

[SkylarkAscending]

No-one is giving anyone a hard time, just applying a bit of logic. The reason WMC "could" is because that's the law. If the dogs were properly registered/exempted or were not in fact a pitbull type then they'd be fine, non?

This was before the law was imposed

 

[Cortez]

This was before the law was imposed

There has been a law regarding pitbull types for 30 or so years.....

 

[SkylarkAscending]

There has been a law regarding pitbull types for 30 or so years.....

Yes, not being stupid I know perfectly well there has been (sigh!) - these were seized for being XL bully types, but at the time there was mass media hysteria about the breed rather than it being specifically against the law.

 

[Cortez]

Yes, not being stupid I know perfectly well there has been (sigh!) - these were seized for being XL bully types, but at the time there was mass media hysteria about the breed rather than it being specifically against the law.

Not sure it's hysteria to be concerned about a very substantial increase in dog attacks and deaths, overwhelmingly by one type of dog, but there you go. And there was/is a quite-specific law covering pitbull types in place at the time.

What do you think should be done about dog attacks then?

 

[SkylarkAscending]

Simple - licence owners not dogs. Of course I’m not saying that all XL bullies or pitbulls would instantly become angels, that would be ridiculous.

But the number of dogs owned by people who use them as status symbols/just haven’t got a clue is the real common denominator here.

It used to be Rottweilers that got the bad press - anyone remember “devil dogs” and the like? - then it was pitbulls - then it was XL bullies. All owned by the same sort of person - by which I mean someone who doesn’t understand and appreciate the dog for what it is, rather than an owner having the dog as a status symbol or the owner being ignorant of what the dog can do.

Now they have banned XL bullies that sort of owner will - if they bother to change at all- simply move to a ‘non banned’ status symbol dog, it’s happened repeatedly.

The only way to effectively control the situation is to manage the owners not the dogs - but of course that will never happen because it’s on the ‘too difficult to do’ pile for most governments.

 

[Cortez]

But....it  is the owners who are getting the licenses/exemption; I don't understand the distinction that you are making - can you rephrase it for us please?

 

[SkylarkAscending]

Sorry I thought I’d been perfectly clear - anyone who wishes to own a dog must be licensed, otherwise the dog is removed from their ownership, whatever the breed.

And anyone selling/giving a pup to an unlicensed owner would face prosecution with decent penalties (not just a small fine/ban from owning animals that they will probably ignore anyway)

As an example, it’s a personal thing but I’d never wish to own a Malinois or Dutch Herder - perfectly legal breeds - because I know I’m not interested in providing them the stimulation they need to keep them occupied and ensure they have a good life. It also makes me very cross and sad the amount of little old ladies/gentlemen locally who have frustrated, bored, snappy and angry border collies who don’t get enough exercise.

If you cannot provide for the needs of your dog, you should not be entitled to own it. “Society” in England appears to have a huge sense of entitlement about dog ownership which is severely misplaced in my opinion.