Birmingham City Councils says it continues to deal with the “repercussions” of the XL bully ban last year
File photo of an XL bully dog(Image: Jacob King/PA Wire)
Birmingham Council has said abandoned XL bully dogs present a “real risk” to its officers as it deals with the consequences of the breed’s ban.
In February last year, the national government made it a criminal offence to own an XL bully without an exemption certificate following a spate of attacks.
It describes the breed as a “large dog with a muscular body and blocky head” and a “powerfully built individual”.
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More than a year later, Birmingham City Council says it is still dealing with the “repercussions” of the XL bully ban as it continues to seize dogs which have been abandoned.
“Although the numbers of XL bully dogs seized as strays has reduced from 90 (in 2023/24) to 30, almost all of these dogs have been abandoned as only one was subsequently claimed by its owner,” it wrote in a regulation and enforcement report covering 2024/25.
It continued that some of these dogs, and other breeds, present a “real risk” to its officers.
“In most circumstances, due to health and safety concerns, they must be handled by two officers,” the council said. “In September 2023, one of our officers was attacked by a pocket bully type dog.
“She suffered significant injuries to her leg, which resulted in several hospital visits and two weeks off work.”
Birmingham City Council House in Victoria Square(Image: Alexander Brock)
In 2024/25, the council’s dog warden service responded to 2,930 requests for assistance and advice, regarding issues such as stray and lost dogs, welfare and general dog control issues.
A total of 740 stray dogs were seized – of these, 694 were impounded at kennels while 46 were returned directly to their owners.
“Many of the dogs we deal with are the larger bull breeds,” the council said. “If these dogs are not trained and socialised from a young age, they can sometimes become unmanageable and some owners abandon them.”
The regulation and enforcement report will be considered by the licensing and public protection committee on Wednesday, June 25.