Mum of boy killed by American bully XL dog wants action

The mother of a 10-year-old boy who was killed by an American bully XL dog has asked why the UK government has not acted to ban the breed sooner.

Jack Lis was mauled to death at a house in Caerphilly in 2021.

The Home Secretary said she was looking at banning the breed after a video was shared online of an American bully XL attacking a child on Saturday.

Jack's mother Emma Whitfield said: "Why has it taken this video and not a child's life to do something?"

The Home Office said a change of policy was the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). Defra said it took all dog attacks "very seriously".

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Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was seeking "urgent advice" on banning the "lethal" breed after the video emerged, which showed an 11-year-old girl and two men being attacked in Birmingham.

"I could have told you it was a lethal breed in November 2021," Ms Whitfield said.

Jack Lis was killed by an American Bully XL in Caerphilly in 2021

She said it was hard to watch the video filmed in Birmingham as she understood the fear she saw in people running for their lives.

"It just brings everything back to the surface," she said.

"The government could have responded a lot sooner, I was in Parliament in March of this year speaking to MPs about why there should be changes in the law, they weren't interested then.

"These dogs aren't cared for by the breeders, they just want money, so from the greed at the start, irresponsible ownership in the middle, we've got children dying.

"My youngest son started comprehensive school last week and he should have had his big brother showing him the ropes, but he's had to do it on his own. We're missing a massive piece of our family."

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said the UK government should have "acted sooner" on banning American bully XLs and urged ministers to "get on with it".

Emma Whitfield says it has taken too long for action to be taken over American bully XL dogs

Brandon Hayden, from Penyrheol, Caerphilly, and Amy Salter, of Trethomas, Caerphilly, were both jailed for being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog after Jack's death.

Beast, the dog that killed Jack, was shot and killed by armed police, who later confirmed that the American bully XL was not a banned breed in the UK.

However, advice on banning the breed was commissioned last week, a UK government adviser said.

What is an American bully XL?

The American bully XL is the largest variation of the American bully breed, a type of bulldog developed by breeding several dogs including the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Bulldog and English Bulldog.

It is not on the list of banned dogs in the UK and is not recognised as a specific breed by the UK Kennel Club, which is the UK's largest organisation concerned with dog health, welfare and training.

The breed was first recognised by the American Bully Kennel Club in 2004 and by the European Bully Kennel Club in 2008.

Jack was killed by an American bully XL named Beast, which weighed 96.5lbs (43.7kg)

Which dogs are banned in the UK?

The Dangerous Dogs Act was introduced in 1991, which banned the owning, selling, breeding and abandoning of four breeds of dog.

These are the Pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.

No new dogs have been added to the list since 1991.

If you own a banned dog in the UK then the police can take it off you, even if it is well behaved and no-one has complained.

Adding dogs to the banned list is the responsibility of Defra.

A Defra spokesman said: "We take dog attacks and anti-social behaviour very seriously and are making sure the full force of the law is being applied."

They added that serious offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act were punishable by up to 14 years in prison.