American bully XL: Therapy dog owner criticises government ban

American bully XL Bruce

A man who takes his bully XL dog to cheer up care home residents has criticised the banning of the breed.

Dylan Dennett's pooch Bruce is a therapy dog who visits residents at a home in Chesterfield.

The 27-year-old said he was concerned about the government taking the stance on American bully XLs following a spate of attacks.

However, dog behaviourist Stan Rawlinson said the breed was the "most dangerous" he had ever worked with.

Bruce's owner said he was a big hit with the residents and their families

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has previously said the breed would be banned by the end of the year.

He said: "It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs - it is a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on."

Mr Sunak said he was ordering work from police and experts to legally define the breed so it can then be banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, which applies in England, Wales and Scotland.

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If that happens, it could mean Bruce is not allowed to visit the care home any more.

Mr Dennett's partner Charlea, who is 34 weeks pregnant, has been visiting Brookholme Care Home with Bruce to meet the residents over the past six months.

"If one of these dogs which are meant to be killers and the rest of what people are saying, if a pregnant woman can take one into a care home in that environment, it is clearly not the breed," Mr Dennett said.

"If this breed gets banned, people who are breeding these dogs to abuse them will just get another dog and do the same thing."

Mr Dennett says a ban would mean people who abuse dogs to become aggressive will find another breed

But Mr Rawlinson, who is a dog behaviour specialist, previously told the BBC the breed had an "enhanced prey drive".

"Its bloodline is from fighting champions who have shown that they always fight to the death," he said.

"So when this dog attacks, it will not just bite you, it will continue biting you until you're no longer moving or dead."