Pet shops struggling to stock XL bully muzzles

XL bully owner Sue said her two dogs had been kept at home for two months because of the muzzle shortage

Pet shop owners say their suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand for XL bully dog muzzles.

A law, which came into force last month, requires owners to put muzzles on those dogs in public places.

Carla Smith, from Pets Villa on Hurst Street in Birmingham, said demand had slowed recently, but she had been getting calls about muzzles every day.

XL bully owner Sue, from Yardley, said: "You can buy a cheap one, but it won't do the job."

BBC Radio WM phoned six pet shops in the West Midlands and their owners all reported supply problems.

Ms Smith said: "The pet industry is really struggling to get hold of them, because they're imported.

"You're better off online at the moment - in the physical stores the chances of finding them are slim to none."

Since January XL bullys have been required to wear muzzles in public places

Sue, who has two XL bullys, has ordered muzzles for them, but they have not yet arrived.

She said it was "so unfair" that they were unable to leave the house for two months.

Although she had been able to let them out in the garden, Sue said: "At the moment they are getting anxiety about it all.

"It's not doing them any good."

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The government took action following a public outcry over XL Bully attacks, including one on an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham in September.

It said 23 deaths had been caused by dog attacks since the start of 2021, "with the XL bully being disproportionately involved".

There are no official police records breaking down dog attacks by individual breeds.

The new law makes it illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, and abandon the dogs, or let them stray.

Owners must also register their dogs, have them microchipped, keep them on a lead with a muzzle when in public and have them neutered.