American bully XL dogs have been described as ‘a clear and lethal danger’ - particularly to children - by the home secretary who is pushing for the breed to be banned.

But what is an American bully XL, why are they popular and why does Suella Braverman want the animal outlawed?

What is an American bully XL?

American bully XL dogs are a breed related to the pitbull terrier, from which they were originally bred from.

These days they are also likely to be crossbred with other dog breeds such as American bulldogs and Olde English bulldogges, which are taller and heavier than their English counterpart.

While the XL was recognised as a breed in its own right by the American Kennel Club in 2013, here in the UK it has no official status.

There are four types of bully – in order to help categorise its size. These are known as the Pocket, Standard, Classic and finally the XL Bully.

American bully XLs are big, strong, very muscular dogs. According to the American Kennel Club classifications, an XL is likely to range between 35cm and 50cm in height and weigh something between 20kg and 65kg.

An increase in popularity

American bullies have become increasingly popular over the last decade. Many owners are said to have initially been attracted by the money that could potentially be made from breeding them – with as much as £10,000 being exchanged for pedigree dogs.

Others say the dog’s appeal as a ‘status’ dog may also be fuelling a steady rise in ownership.

But news that police are investigating an attack on an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham over the weekend, understood to have been caused by an American Bully XL, has catapulted the animal back onto news and government agendas and increased calls for a ban.

The incident, which happened in the street, was also caught on video. Two men, who tried to rescue the youngster, were also injured in the ordeal, which West Midlands Police have said they are now looking into.

Have there been other attacks?

Group Bully Watch, which says its aim is to raise awareness of the ‘scale of large bully-related dog attacks in the UK’, says there have been 11 confirmed human deaths caused by bully XLs since 2021.

Among those to have died is 10-year-old Jack Lis who was killed after being mauled by an American bully in South Wales in two years ago. His mother Emma Whitfield is among those who has added her voice to demands for a change in the law.

The Bully Watch website cites there have been more than 350 attacks by the breed since the start of 2023 – together with 43% of all recorded attacks this year having been caused by a large Bully dog.

Bully Watch, which describes the dog as ‘entirely rooted in the lineage of the American pitbull terrier’, says it has also become the most commonly seized dog by the Metropolitan Police this year.

In August a family from Margate had their family dog seized by police after it bit a delivery driver that entered their back garden through a gate.

The couple says their dog is entirely legal as a purebred bully, with the documents to prove it – but believe she’s been taken while police investigate because of her resemblance to a pitbull terrier, which is a banned breed.

The pair are pleading for the return of their family pet who they say isn't aggressive and only reacted because she felt threatened by a stranger’s arrival.

Which dog breeds are banned in the UK?

There are currently four banned breeds of dog in the UK: the pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro.

Should XL Bully dogs be banned?

It is against the law to have any dog that is dangerously out of control, a crime which can be dealt with by prison sentences or unlimited fines.

But adding a dog to the banned list is the responsibility of Environment Secretary Therese Coffey’s department. It then becomes against the law to own, breed or sell any dogs on that list, which is maintained by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

However, because the XL bully is still not officially recognised as a breed in its own right, and is often a mix of other types of dog, experts say there may be issues with trying to clarify and enforce a breed-specific ban - despite the Home Secretary’s announcement that she’s gathering urgent advice.

The view of animal charities

Despite a call to add the dog to a banned list – many animal charities don’t believe breed specific bans to be the way forward.

They say they work against dogs perceived to be dangerous and can often lead to thousands of innocent animals also being put down.

Groups including the RSPCA and Dogs Trust would instead like to see more focus on individual actions and dangerous owners, as well as work in other areas such as stricter licensing for dog breeders and more control on imports so it is clearer as to where a dog has come from.

A Dogs Trust spokesman explained: “Dogs Trust wants to see the current dog control laws replaced with one consolidated law that allows for early intervention with a focus on the prevention of dog bite incidents and includes measures that deter and punish owners of dogs whose behaviour is dangerous.

“We will continue to look for reform in existing dog control laws until we are satisfied that any new measures are preventative, breed-neutral and effective, and ultimately protect both dogs and people alike.”