Man and dog savaged by two XL Bully dogs in latest Doncaster attack

The owner, who has not been named, was attacked as he took his pet for a walk in Scawsby.

The two dogs resposible for the attack have now been seized and a police investigation has been launched.

Officers were called at around 10.20am on Thursday to reports that two dogs, believed to be an XL Bully breed, had attacked another dog and its owner on Roman Mews in Doncaster, a South Yorkshire Police spokesman said.

“Officers attended and the two XL Bullies were seized by dog liaison officers.

“The other dog and its owner received bite injuries during the incident. Their injuries are not deemed as life threatening.”

It is the latest in a series of attacks in Doncaster by the breed, which is set to be outlawed by next year.

In September, armed police swooped on a house in Doncaster after a man was savaged while trying to separate two of the dogs, while a mum suffered life-changing injuries in Askern earlier this year after being mauled in a street attack in front of her daughter.

American bully XLs are being added to the list of banned dogs in England and Wales, making it illegal to own one without an exemption from 1 February next year.

From January the dogs will also have to be muzzled and on a lead in public.

From 31 December 2023 it will be against the law to sell, abandon, breed from or give away an American bully XL, or have one in public without a lead or muzzle.

If your dog is less than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 31 December next year. If your dog is older than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 30 June.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to report information to police online, via live chat or by calling 101 quoting incident number 273 of 9 November 2023.

What is an American XL bully?

The American bully is a comparatively new dog breed from the US. Its first official breed registry, the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC), was founded in 2004.

The foundation breed used in its creation was the American pit bull terrier - but the ABKC says as many as four other dog breeds went into its creation, including the American bulldog and the English bulldog.

It comes in a range of size categories, from pocket-sized, to XL (extra large) or XXL. Extremely large varieties of XL and XXL Bullies can weigh upwards of 60kgs - sometimes as much as 90kg - and are considered very strong.

The ABKC says the American Bully "should give the impression of great strength for its size", and should have a muscular body and "blocky" head. "The American Bully should have the appearance of heavy bone structure with a bulky build and look," it said.

There is a general consensus the breed has the potential to be dangerous. In 2021, two of the four fatal dog attacks in the UK involved an American bully, while in 2022, they were involved in six out of 10 fatal dog attacks.