XL bully owners get £70,000 payout after their dogs were put down
More than £70,000 has been paid out in compensation to hundreds of owners of euthanised American bully XL dogs.
The government received 400 valid requests after adding the muscular breed to the list of dangerous dogs in February 2024.
XL bullies were outlawed in February this year after a series of savage and deadly attacks, including a man being mauled to death by two of the animals near a primary school in Staffordshire.
An owners’ group said the new law, which criminalises owning the animals in England and Wales without an exemption, had resulted in ‘death sentences’ for hundreds of well-behaved dogs.
Introducing the ban to stop the ‘devastating’ attacks, the government offered to subsidise euthanasia, with a cut-off point for claims on March 15.
The figures released to Metro.co.uk under the Freedom of Information Act show that the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has paid out £76,500 overall to date, with five claims pending.
A spokesperson for the UK Bully Kennel Club said: ‘It’s disgusting that owners have had to put their dogs to sleep because of a law that should never have been brought in in the first place.
‘They have felt pressured into doing so and some people have cashed in by manipulating the process with dogs that may not have been theirs.
‘It’s chaos at the moment, with dogs going to charities and rescue centres, including when they’ve been picked up by councils and rescue charities.
‘Lovely, friendly dogs with no health issues that have passed the temperament test with flying colours are being given a death sentence for no other reason than legislation introduced because of media pressure.’
The Bully Kennel Club describes the ‘standard’ American bully as having ‘immense power’ juxtaposed by a ‘gentle, affectionate demeanour’.
The group, which promotes responsible ownership, gives descriptions for the XL, exotic, micro, pocket and athletic types on its website.
The spokesperson added: ‘People can still go for an exemption to put their dogs on a list and let them live happily with their owners.
‘There is a legal process that needs to be followed and we would recommend they seek further advice.
‘The Rocky’s Army group and policeseizedmydog.com provide advice and assistance to owners about the process.’
The dogs were outlawed following a series of attacks including one which claimed the life of Ian Price in September last year.
The 52-year-old’s death in Staffordshire was referenced by Rishi Sunak as he warned that the breed ‘is a danger to our communities’.
Doug Smith, spokesperson for campaign group Bully Watch, said: ‘The fact that 50,000 owners have chosen to follow the new regulations and register their pets shows that the ban is working and the vast majority of owners are happy to take small extra measures to keep their communities safe.
‘While it’s disappointing that 400 owners chose to put their pets down, had the ban on breeding and selling of XL bullies not been put in place the scale of overbreeding that was taking place last summer means in the long term the situation would have been far worse.
‘Every Tom, Dick and Harry were seemingly using their dogs to breed from with no regard for health or temperament.
‘The ban continues to be the most humane option for the XL bully itself.’
Mr Smith, speaking under a pseudonym, added that the euthanasia figures are put in perspective by an estimate that between 10,000 to 20,000 healthy dogs are put down each year in the UK.
Bully Watch has identified the breed as essentially a pitbull descendant which may have had mastiff and bulldog genes mixed into its lineage over time. The pitbull terrier was banned in the UK in 1991, with the list also consisting of the Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro.
In September, the group said that attacks by XL bullies were ‘morbidly common’ and had led to at least 11 human deaths since 2021.
Emma Whitfield, whose son Jack Lis, 10, was killed by an XL bully in Caerphilly, South Wales, has also been a vocal advocate for stricter rules governing dangerous dogs. Jack died before paramedics could reach him after he was attacked by the dog, called ‘Beast’, in November 2021.
Bullies are now banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, with owners who break the rules facing a criminal record and an unlimited fine.
Dogs that have qualified for an exemption have to be registered, neutered and muzzled and on a lead in public.
Owners who chose to have their bullies euthanised by a vet before January 31 were eligible for £200 compensation as a contribution towards the cost of the animal and the procedure.
The amounts were paid after the dogs were put down, with owners and vets required to send forms to Defra in order to apply.
The compensation figures show that were 395 claims up to April 22, with five more currently being processed.
The government maintains that the measures will place ‘crucial public safety controls’ on the existing population while numbers reduce over time.
A Defra spokesperson said: ‘The ban on XL bullies is now in place meaning it is illegal to own one of these dogs unless it has been registered.
‘We have delivered our pledge to bring in this important measure to protect public safety, and we expect all XL bully owners to comply with the strict conditions.’
MORE : Urgent calls for XL Bully ban after ‘out of control’ dog attack
MORE : ‘Brutal’ American bully XL attacks are ‘morbidly common’ say campaigners
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