South Yorkshire Police commissioner reacts to XL bully ban

Following a spate of attacks, the government announced a ban on the dogs, which led to protests from people who claimed their animals are safe and irresponsible owners are the issue.

Protesters descended on parliament at the weekend to protest the ban, with signs reading “stop bullying our best friends” and “bad owners not bad dogs”.

Commissioner Dr Alan Billings said: “I have been contacted by organisations concerned with animal welfare who have told me that my concerns are mistaken: it is not the dog but the owner that is the problem. I don’t agree.

“The prime minister has said that the breed will be added to the dangerous dogs list by the end of the year. It will then become illegal to breed, sell or acquire them, and those who already have them will have to register them and will only be allowed to take the dogs into public places if they are muzzled.

“Empirically, I don’t know that it has been evidenced: have all incidents been examined to see if, in every case, there was poor training?

“When I see the figures of dog incidents in South Yorkshire and the percentage of XL bullies in them, it cannot just be about poor dog training. It is also about the breed.

“The aggression and power of these dogs is part of their allure and we do not know what triggers that sudden turn from friendliness to savagery. Poor training simply compounds matters. I certainly wouldn’t want to live next door to one.”