XL Bully owners have protested a Government crackdown on the killer breed by muzzling themselves ‘in solidarity' with their pets – as they threaten to ‘name and shame' vets who are destroying the banned dogs.
Under plans announced by Rishi Sunak last year, it became illegal to sell, abandon, give away or breed dogs that meet the XL Bully definition from December 31, and dogs must be muzzled in public.
The clampdown followed a wave of fatal attacks linked to XL Bully-type animals, including Ian Price who was killed in Stonnall, Staffordshire, in September, and Ian Langley, who died in Sunderland in October.
But as XL Bully owners come to terms with the ban, some have posted videos of themselves wearing muzzles as they take their dogs out.
One video shows Aidan taking dog Rolo out in Coventry on New Year's Eve with the pair wearing matching black muzzles in protest against the new law.
XL Bully owners have protested a Government crackdown on the killer breed by muzzling themselves ‘in solidarity' with their pets
XL Bully campaign groups have threatened to ‘name and shame' vets who are destroying the banned dogs
While walking along the pavement Aidan repeatedly practises training techniques with the well-behaved Rolo, including commands such as ‘sit' and ‘wait'.
Posting to TikTok, his partner Danielle said: ‘Our first walk with Rolo with the new restrictions and laws against XL bullies.
‘Aidan supporting Rolo today wearing a muzzle and making conversations with passers by, to show our animals should not be demonised by a muzzle or the law.
‘It is a sad, sad day across the dog communities [sic] today.'
The video has had a mixed reception with many supporters on TikTok, but the couple took to social media again on Monday to plead for kindness after widespread backlash on other platforms.
Danielle said: ‘I totally understand some people don't understand and I have accepted and come to terms with that. I don't expect you to.
‘However, this is my dog. A breed which has recently been banned as of [Sunday]. Having individuals screenshot a training video of me trying to express Rolo's full capabilities as [a] Bully and using it for their own social gain just hasn't sat right'.
The couple's decision to wear a muzzle while walking Rolo comes as other XL Bully owners document their struggles to suddenly persuade their pets to wear them
Animal charities have been urging owners to begin training their dogs to wear muzzles for months
Another XL Bully owner shared a similar video, as he took his dog ‘Donkey' out for a walk while wearing matching pink muzzles
The XL Bully owner started barking at a woman he was walking the dog with, joking: ‘Look, who's more vicious?'
She added she will continue to ‘video and post' about Rolo and criticised those who used screenshots from the post to illustrate their own points without permission.
Another XL Bully owner shared a similar video, as he took his dog ‘Donkey' out for a walk while wearing matching pink muzzles. He had also dressed his dog up in a colourful coat.
He then started barking at a woman he was walking the dog with, joking: ‘Look, who's more vicious?'
Passionate Bully owners have also threatened to call out vets who are destroying the breed.
A campaign group called End Game Bullys posted: ‘Any vets that willingly put down a healthy innocent XL Bully should be named & shamed.
‘Individual pictures plastered over out socials outing you as the murderers that you are.
‘You have a choice. Leave the f****n dogs alone.'
It comes after it emerged yesterday that another XL Bully owner had driven hundreds of miles to the Scottish border in a bid to save his beloved animal as the Government crackdown came into force at New Year.
Sammy Wilkinson, from Tipton in the West Midlands, has been transporting the dogs up North after new legislation banned the bread in England and Wales, calling for the existing animals to be muzzled when out in public.
Mr Wilkinson has been collecting groups of the dogs, driving through the day and night to take them to Scotland to give them a fresh a start.
So far he has taken 30 pets to the border, with a GoFundPage raising £9,000 to support his efforts.
XL Bully dogs have been a source of controversy after several fatal attacks on people in recent years. Pictured: File photo of the dog
Sammy Wilkinson, from Tipton in the West Midlands, has been taking XL bullies to the Scottish border following the ban. Pictured: Mr Wilkinson with two XL bullies in the back of his van
Dogs have reportedly been abandoned in the streets by owners who cannot keep their pets or have been unable to put them down (pictured: a suspected XL Bully type believed to be abandoned in Harlow, Essex)
It is now illegal to allow XL Bully dogs to be out in public off the leash and without a muzzle
Owners have been sharing images of their XL Bully type dogs in muzzles on social media after the ban was imposed
Mr Wilkinson said on social media: ‘I'm absolutely exhausted and my car is falling apart but you're not killing these Rishi Sunak, now it's a race to the Scottish Border before midnight.'
Elswhere, another XL Bully was found burnt and mutilated just hours before a ban on the breed came into force.
Shocking photos show that the dog suffered extensive burns to his front paws and a fractured skull before his body was discovered in an alleyway on Saturday.
The body of the animal was found by a member of the public in Carshalton, south London, with his legs tied together and one of his ears had also been sliced off.
An investigation has been launched but RSPCA Inspector Harriet Daliday said she couldn't confirm if the animal had died after hitting a vehicle or was killed in a targeted killing.
From January 31, it will be an offence to own an XL Bully unless it is registered on the Index of Exempted dogs and is compliant with the requirements.
Dogs that are more than one year old after this date must be neutered by June 30 while younger dogs must receive the same treatment by December 31.
