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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to ban American bully XL dogs by the end of the year, following a spate of attacks on both people and livestock.

The dogs have made national headlines after a spate of attacks, including the death of a man in Stonnal, Staffordshire, on Thursday (September 14).

Livestock worrying

In March, 22 pregnant sheep were killed, with 48 more injured by two escaped American bully XL dogs.

See also: At least 15 sheep killed in Wales since start of September

The farmer tried to bring the dogs under control but was eventually forced to shoot the dog as one became aggressive to him.

David Hughes, 26, of Pen y Wern, Rhosllanerchrugog appeared before magistrates earlier this month in Wrexham where he admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and being the owner of a dog worrying livestock.

Hughes was banned from keeping dogs for five years and ordered to pay £900 in fines.

The financial cost of the incident, including the numerous deaths and injuries, amounted to more than £14,000.

Dangerous Dogs Act

Sharing the update on X, formerly known as Twitter, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the dogs were a ‘danger to our communities, particularly our children'.

He moved to reassure the public the Government was ‘urgently working on ways to stop these attacks'.

"Today I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts, to firstly define the breed of dog behind these attacks, with the view to then outlawing it.

It's clear the American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities.

I've ordered urgent work to define and ban this breed so we can end these violent attacks and keep people safe.

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak)

"It is not currently a breed defined in law, so this vital first step must happen fast.

"We will then ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be in place by the end of the year.

"These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe."

Adding the breed to the Dangerous Dogs Act will fall under the responsibility of Defra Secretary Therese Coffey.

Free signs warning dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead near livestock are available through Farmers Guardian's Take the Lead campaign, in association with the National Sheep Association.

To request yours, send a stamped self-addressed A4 envelope to: FG Take the Lead, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ. We will be able to send up to 25 signs.