The recent figures come after a horrific incident the place an 11-year-old lady and two others had been attacked by an American bully XL final Saturday sparking a debate on canine possession within the UK.
Ana Paun, 11, was attacked by the American bully XL and Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed puppy within the Bordesley Green space of Birmingham final Saturday afternoon. The assault left three folks with accidents, requiring all the victims to obtain medical help.
A complete of 4,978 canine assaults have been reported by West Midlands Police since 2018, with 1,112 within the 12 months 2022 alone.
The figures present that in 2018, a toltal of 671 canine assaults had been registered by West Midlands Police, with 761 assaults registered the 12 months after.
In 2020, 761 canine assaults had been once more registered within the West Midlands, leaping to 975 in 2021.
The figures spiked once more in 2022 with West Midlands Police registering 1,112 canine assaults within the West Midlands alone, resulting in a complete of 4,978 canine assaults within the final 5 years.
The assault on Ana made nationwide headlines when Home Secretary, Sulla Braverman, known as for the banning of the breed, saying the assault was “appalling” including: “The American XL bully is a transparent and deadly hazard to our communities.”
Dogs Trust is likely one of the organisations disputing calls to ban the breed, though it mentioned the variety of incidents in recent years is regarding.
A Dogs Trust spokesperson mentioned: “We are involved by the variety of incidents that seem to contain XL bull varieties and agree that steps must be taken to guard the general public.
“However, including one other canine to the record of banned breeds shouldn’t be the proper strategy. Banning them will merely make room for an additional kind of canine to fill the house left by the XL bull varieties, and the cycle will likely be repeated.
The organisation went on to say that canine management legal guidelines “must be overhauled” and changed with legal guidelines that permit for early intervention.
The canine charity continued: “The Dangerous Dogs Act, with its record of banned varieties, has been in place for over 30 years and is clearly not working.
“That’s why Dogs Trust desires to see the present canine management legal guidelines overhauled and changed with one legislation that enables for early intervention, has a give attention to the prevention of canine chunk incidents and consists of measures that deter and punish homeowners of dogs whose behaviour is harmful.
“We will proceed to search for reform in current canine management legal guidelines till we’re happy that any new measures are preventative, breed-neutral and efficient, and in the end defend each dogs and folks alike.”
The incident additionally restarted a debate on-line surrounding breed or proprietor, with many displaying combined emotions on whether or not the canine or the handler themselves are guilty.
On Facebook, Dana Nadine-Anne Hall mentioned: “Wasn’t even a full XL, however but once more solely XLs getting slated and threatened to be banned.
“It was a crossbreed mongrel who clearly had zero coaching.”
Renita Boyd, one other Facebook consumer, mentioned: “Why say what breed? Making a breed look dangerous however any breed could be dangerous, it is as much as the proprietor to correctly prepare their canine.
“Not one specific breed is dangerous. Owners must do higher.”
West Midlands Police have been approached for remark.
