Lincolnshire Bully XL dog owner defends breed over ban call

The owner of an American XL Bully dog is to lobby her MP, pleading for the breed not to be banned.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman is considering if the animals should be outlawed after an 11-year-old girl was attacked in Birmingham.

But Sarah Phoenix, from Holbeach, Lincolnshire, said: "It's heartbreaking for people who have this breed and love them and look after them properly."

She said she planned to invite her MP, Sir John Hayes, to meet her dog, Barry.

The South Holland Conservative MP has previously called for a ban on the American XL Bully breed.

Ms Phoenix described her 11-month-old dog as "loyal, harmless, a family dog".

"There is not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that he would bite anybody. It wouldn't happen, " she said.

The American Bully XL is the largest variation of the American Bully breed, a type of bulldog developed by breeding several dogs, including the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bulldog and English Bulldog.

It is not subject to any legal restrictions in the UK, but advice on a ban was commissioned last week, a government adviser previously said.

So far this year, six people in the UK have died as a result of dog attacks involving any breed.

Police data shows the number of injuries in England and Wales due to dog attacks has risen by more than a third in the past five years. Last year, there were nearly 22,000.

Ms Phoenix said she was in favour of a dog licensing scheme for all breeds and she hoped a visit from her MP would allow Sir John to get an insight and not "just reading the news" on attacks.

"I would happily take Barry to the House of Commons, put him in a bow and he would sit there quite happily, no issues," she said.

Sir John Hayes' office has been contacted for a response.

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