Mum lashes out at XL Bully 'witch hunt' saying hers is 'most amazing' family dog
The owner of an American XL Bully has slammed what she calls a “witch-hunt” against the controversial breed.
Grayce Atherton says her seven-month-old Bully is the “most amazing” family dog and she has “been feeling awful” after news emerged of government plans to ban the breed. After the tragic death of a man in a suspected American XL Bully attack, Rishi Sunak announced on Friday his intention to ban the dog by the end of the year under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
But Grayce, 41, says her 98-pound canine friend - whom she took in after having always owned small dogs - has brought “so much” to her family’s life. When husband Mark, 47, suggested bringing in an XL Bully to the family home, she was initially unsure - with children as young as 10 in the household.
Grayce's XL bully is like a "big brother" to the family's cat (Cornwall Live)
The XL bully is described as soft and cuddly - and not aggressive (Cornwall Live)“But it turns out he’s just slobbery,” Grayce told CornwallLive.. “Now he is just amazing even though when we first got him he came from somewhere else and was just being fed McDonald's so I was a bit apprehensive about him, especially having a son who was 10 at the time.”
Despite significant support for the ban many have also reacted angrily, describing them as the “perfect” family pet - and some dog sites describing them as only strong yet cuddly lap dogs. Grayce says hers is “so big, warm, cuddly and not aggressive at all”.
Girl, 4, mauled to death in dog attack pictured as neighbours hear mum's screams
Grace says the dog and the cat get along, describing it as “like a soft big brother”, playing with it and sleeping next to it. She added: "I think it's all down to the owner. It's how you treat them once you've got them and all we've ever done is nurture him. He's so big and so warm and not aggressive at all. He's just slobbery."
When going on walks, people avoid Grayce and her dog out of fear. She said: “Other pet owners are quite frightened and will pick up their dogs and cross to the other side of the road and things like that. But he's not aggressive in anyway and he's never even quivered his lip at any of us."
Grayce attributes this to the XL Bully's huge size and bad reputation - which is not without justification. In 2022, there were 10 fatal dog attacks in the UK, six of which involved an American XL Bully.
Despite never showing signs of aggression, Zeus has been attacked by other dogs in the past. "Once a lurcher attacked him and he squealed and ran off to hide behind my husband," she said. "That's how aggressive he is."
The family have fallen in love with the dog since bringing him in last year (Cornwall Live)Speaking of recent news about vicious attacks that have prompted calls for the breed to be banned, She said: "I think it's absolutely horrific but I do believe it is down to the ownership and how you treat them and I don't think it's just this breed. A lurcher bit my dog and the owner admitted her dog was not good with other dogs and she should be kept on the lead. You hear about it in all dogs. It will be another breed next.
"It's a witch hunt and it's down to the owners to be able to love and care for these animals. They are big dogs and need attention and should be treated as any other dog at the end of the day. If I beat my jack russell, leave it without water or it isn't being looked after then it's going to do something silly. Any breed can hurt somebody. It's all about caring and being loving to animals. It's not the dog's fault."
Rishi Sunak said when announcing the ban: "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."
Experts and animal charities including the RSPCA and British Veterinary Association have long warned that breed-specific bans are ineffective and could potentially result in thousands of innocent dogs being put down. The pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the dogo argentino and the fila brasileiro are the four breeds currently banned in the UK.
The RPSCA says: "We believe focusing on the type of dog, rather than their individual actions, is a flawed and failing approach. We're very concerned to see more discussions around adding another type of dog to the banned list. Dog aggression is highly complex, and taking a breed-focused approach is fundamentally flawed."
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