Hundreds of XL Bully owners march to protest breed ban - but without their dogs

Rishi Sunak has said the breed will be banned by the end of the year after spate of attacks

Hundreds of XL Bully owners have protested Rishi Sunak’s ban by joining a march in central London – but left their dogs at home.

The prime minister has said the breed will be banned by the end of the year following a series of attacks, saying he shared the nation’s “horror” at videos of recent incidents shared on social media.

Crowds amassed in the capital on Saturday to protest the move, insisting their dogs are completely safe and that only a minority are dangerous.

People take part in a protest in central London, against the Government's decision to add XL bully dogs to the list of prohibited breeds under the Dangerous Dogs Act (PA)

Hundreds of people joined the protest march (PA)

Before the event, organisers sent a message to attendees asking them not to bring their pets to the protest, claiming the police would “antagonise and seize your dog.”

Many protestors carried placards or wore t-shirts opposing the ban, including one that read: “Muzzle Rishi. Don’t bully our breed”.

“People need to take responsibility for their dog”, XL Bully owner Michelle West told Kent Online. “They are blaming the wrong end of the lead. I’ve never known a dog so affectionate and soppy.”

Mr Sunak made the pledge to ban the breed after a man died following attack by two dogs – suspected to be XL Bullys – in Staffordshire, and a video of another incident that went viral as an 11-year-old girl suffered serious injuries from the same breed in Birmingham.

Owners say the fault is with people who don’t look after their dog responsibly (PA)

Protesters have criticised Rishi Sunak for the move (PA)

“I share the nation’s horror at the recent videos we’ve all seen,” Mr Sunak said. “It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it’s a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.”

The American XL Bully is close to the Pitbull terrier, crossbred with other breeds including English bulldogs, the Olde English Bulldogge and American bulldogs.

People attending the march were encouraged to keep their dogs at home (PA)

Mr Sunak said he was ‘horrified’ by recent dog attacks (PA)

They were recognised as a breed by the US United Kennel Club in 2013, but not by the UK’s main dog associations.

The XL in their name refers to their size, with four categories including pocket, standard, classic and XL.

The latter tend to grow to around 33 to 50cm in height, weighing in at between 20 and 60kg.