The measure was announced in September and approved by the British Government in October, in response to the increase in attacks by animals of this breed.
Since Thursday, February 1, the United Kingdom has implemented a ban on the ownership of dogs of the American Bully breed, an American variant of the Pitbull. This measure was announced in September and approved by the British Government in October, in response to the worrying increase in fatal attacks by dogs of this breed.
The law banning the ownership of American Bullys has officially come into force in England and Wales. The current owners of these dogs have had a period of time to register their animals. To date, around 30,000 American Bullies have been registered, although it is estimated that the real number may be much higher. Owners who have not complied with the registration provision are obliged to subject their animals to deletion in collaboration with a veterinarian. Additionally, current owners are required to neuter their dogs and allow them in public only on a leash and muzzle. The breed is now part of the list of dogs prohibited by the Dangerous Dogs Act.
These measures were implemented by the British government with the aim of prohibiting not only the possession, but also the sale, breeding, abandonment or gift of these animals, after several specimens of this breed were involved in various recent attacks against people.
One of the most memorable cases was that of a 10-year-old boy who lost his life in 2021 due to serious injuries to the neck and head caused by the attack of an American Bully in a town in Wales. Now, the British government seeks to prevent future incidents in this way and guarantee public safety in the face of the aggressiveness of this dog breed.