XL Bully owner to have dog destroyed after attack

An XL bully is the largest kind of American bully dog (stock image)

An American XL bully owner will have her dog destroyed after it escaped and attacked a member of the public and their dog.

Rosa Tennant, 32, received a warning after her exempted XL Bully escaped from her property in Little Somerford, near Malmesbury in July 2024.

But in November the same year, the XL Bully escaped without a lead, collar or muzzle and attacked a member of the public and his spaniel.

Wiltshire Police said the attack has left the owner and dog with physical injuries which still remain almost a year later.

PC Paul Croft, from Wiltshire Police's Dangerous Dogs team, said: "During the process, Tennant showed a complete lack of remorse and took no accountability for allowing her dog to escape and attack a member of the public and their dog."

Following the attack, the XL bully was seized and taken to secure kennels. The dog will be humanely put to sleep.

During the investigation, Wiltshire Police established that Tennant had breached the Defra certificate of exemption conditions despite being warned previously by officers that her gate was not sufficient to secure the dog.

She had also failed to report the attack to police.

Tennant was charged and pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.

Due to the American XL Bully breaching the exemption conditions, Tennant was also charged with and pleaded guilty to being in possession of a fighting dog.

Tennant was sentenced on 03 October to 120 hours of unpaid work. She will also have to pay £477 in compensation and £1,500 of kennel fees.

Mr Croft continued: "The law around banned breeds and the exemptions for them are in place to protect the public, and we will continue to act robustly to protect the community and ensure the laws are enforced."