Demand for Legal Pocket Bullies Rises After 2024 XL Bully Restrictions
Demand for pocket bullies has risen sharply since the 2024 ban on XL Bullies, with online marketplaces flooded with listings. Recent incidents include a fatal attack on a three-month-old baby and injuries to a five-year-old boy. Campaigners call for bans as dog attacks increased two percent in 2024.
opindia.comDemand for pocket bullies has surged since restrictions on XL Bullies came into force at the start of 2024, GB News reported. Online marketplaces are flooded with listings for these smaller but genetically similar dogs, which remain legal.
Three-month-old Maggie-May Ann Moody died in Redcar, North Yorkshire, after being allegedly killed by a dog described as a pocket bully-type. Her family stated: “Maggie changed us in so many ways. She was everything to us.
She gave us meaning and purpose every day, and we feel empty. ” The incident has fueled calls from campaigners to ban the breed. Five-year-old Antonio was seriously injured in a pocket bully attack in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire.
The dog bit Antonio's face in two places and his thigh. He underwent surgery for six hours and remains under hospital care. Amanda Holmes, Antonio's mother, stated: “Before the attack, he was a happy little boy - now he's having nightmares, wetting the bed and terrified.
He's a different child... ” Holmes described the lasting impact on her son from the attack. Karen Hawthornthwaite, 55, from Darwen, Lancashire, developed PTSD after witnessing her lhasa apso Benji being fatally attacked by a pocket bully.
” Hawthornthwaite's experience highlights concerns over the breed's aggression. Police figures show 31,920 dog attacks were recorded across England and Wales in 2024, representing a two percent rise on the previous year. Three incidents involving other bully variants were recorded in the first two weeks of April.
Despite a drop in XL Bully-related deaths, attacks involving other variants continue, GB News reported. Jeffrey Turner, a dangerous dog assessor and expert witness, stated: “Pocket bullys are smaller versions of the XL. They can bite.
” Turner also stated that organised criminal networks bred American bullies during the pandemic and sold puppies for thousands of pounds. Rob Alleyne, a dog behaviourist, stated: “All owners must take responsibility for having their dogs under control. ” Alleyne argued that irresponsible owners, not the dogs themselves, should be held accountable.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
6 events- 2024-04-01 to 2024-04-14
Three incidents involving other bully variants were recorded in the first two weeks of April.
1 sourceunattributed - 2024
31,920 dog attacks were recorded across England and Wales in 2024, a two per cent rise on the previous year.
1 sourcePolice figures - 2024-01-01
Restrictions on XL Bullies came into force at the start of 2024, leading to surged demand for pocket bullies.
1 sourceunattributed - Recent (post-2024 ban)
Karen Hawthornthwaite developed PTSD after witnessing her dog Benji fatally attacked by a pocket bully.
1 sourceKaren Hawthornthwaite - Recent (post-2024 ban)
Five-year-old Antonio seriously injured in pocket bully attack in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire.
1 sourceAmanda Holmes - Recent (post-2024 ban)
Three-month-old Maggie-May Ann Moody died after alleged pocket bully-type attack in Redcar, North Yorkshire.
1 sourceunattributed
Potential Impact
- 01
Ongoing rise in dog attack incidents if variants remain unregulated.
- 02
Potential increase in calls for breed-specific legislation targeting pocket bullies.
- 03
Heightened public awareness and fear of dog attacks, leading to more reports or restrictions.
- 04
Shift in breeding and sales patterns, possibly driving underground markets.
- 05
Increased prosecutions of irresponsible dog owners as advocated by experts.
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