23 December 2023 , 18:02
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A man who aims to rescue as many XL Bullies as possible has told how he encountered an even larger breed - that was reportedly as tall as him.
Animal lover Patrick Swain, 34, from Nottingham encountered an 'XXL Bully' during a rescue mission, which sees him fighting the ban against the dogs by rescuing those who face being put down. On Tuesday December 19, he encountered one especially impressive beast after it was chucked in the road.
He said: "It was chucked out on the street in front of me from a minivan. It wasn't the XL Bully, it was the XXL Bully. It had a few cuts on its head, so it looked like it had been hit." According to Patrick, when the dog put its paws on his shoulders, it was the same height as him, at 5'6".
He also said the canine's head was "twice the size of a human head". He continued: "It was absolutely enormous. It weighed 75kg and it was underweight. They weigh about 110[kg]."
Patrick visited his local vet with the dog, who agreed to treat the huge animal. Now, they are searching for his forever home, the Daily Star reports.
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The dog lover has an XL Bully of his own named Tyson, who he says plays well with wife Agnieszka's Yorkshire Terrier and the pair's children. He has also taken on another dog, after a friend's animal had a litter of puppies.
But from December 31, it will become illegal to sell, abandon, give away or breed XL Bullies as the creatures will have to be kept on a lead and wear a muzzle in public. While some have embraced the new rules, others like Patrick are not a fan.
34-year-old Patrick Swain is from Nottingham and is fighting the ban against the dogs (Facebook/Patrick Swain/Getty Images)Dr Karyn Kanowski is a vet who says there are downsides to the rules, despite there being more attacks by XL Bullies in recent months than other dogs. She told the Daily Star: "I don’t like to judge an entire breed based on the actions of a few individuals, but we cannot deny that the XL bully has been noticeably overrepresented in serious dog attacks in the past year or so.
"The main problem coming out of the ban is the inundation of rescue centres with XL Bully type breeds, the abandonment of these dogs, and the increase in the number of healthy dogs being euthanised. Dog rescue organisations all over the country are going to be forced to euthanise dogs in their care that have not yet been re-homed by January 31st, and that's not right or fair."
From December 31, it will become illegal to sell, abandon, give away or breed XL Bullies (Getty Images)Dr Kanowski also said it was a common misconception the dogs were being banned outright. Responsible owners, she said, have "nothing to worry about."
"People need to understand that owning an XL Bully will not be illegal. Provided they comply with the rules set out in the government’s guidance, their pet cannot be seized, and they are not breaking any laws," she continued.
"[XL Bullies need] to be registered, microchipped, and surgically neutered. They also need to be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public. People have until the end of January, 2024 to register their dog, and until June, 2024 to have them neutered."