Police are hunting for the owner of an XL Bully-type dog after it attacked a woman in Northampton.
The victim was left with injuries to her arm when the hound latched onto her while she was out for a walk on Friday morning.
The dog’s owner, who has been described by police as red-haired and of a slim build, apologised to the woman but took off without giving her details.
The mauling was said to have unfolded on Constable Road, Corby after the XL Bully-type dog became startled by the victim.
Northamptonshire Police said the woman tried to move out of the way of the hound, which was on a lead at the time of the attack, but was left with an arm injury after the dog lunged at her.
The force added the dog owner is believed to be 35-40 years old and of a slim build.
She was also seen wearing a long green jacket with its hood up at the time of the attack.
Officers said in a statement: ‘Police officers are appealing for the owner of a dog to come forward after a woman sustained an arm injury in Constable Road, Corby.
‘The incident occurred between 7am and 7.10am on Friday, November 15, when the woman and the dog startled each other. As she moved out of the way, the dog which was on its lead, jumped up and bit her on the arm.
‘The owner of the dog apologised to the woman but left without leaving details and officers would like to identify the dog, which is described as possibly a red coloured American Bulldog or XL Bully.
‘They would also like to speak to the owner, who was a white woman, aged 35 to 40 years and of a slim build with dark red hair. She was wearing a long green jacket with the hood up.
‘Witnesses or anyone with information about the dog are asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
‘Please quote incident number 24000681613 when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible.’
An XL Bully is a banned breed, after rules officially came into place in England and Wales on February 1 following legislation from then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s Tory government.
Following a long history of vicious attacks on people and other dogs across the UK, the ban made it illegal to own, sell, abandon, give away or breed an XL Bully without an exemption approval granted by the government.
The ban also made it illegal for any exempt XL Bullies to be in public without both a lead and muzzle.
Included in this new legislation was a set definition for what exactly constitutes as an XL Bully dog.
This criteria includes the size of the dogs head, its build and its height (at least 20 inches for males and 19 for females).
Dogs which met the XL Bully criteria but whose owners were unable to obtain government exemptions from the ban were ordered to be put to sleep by vets, with owners to receive compensation from authorities.
However, many experts have questioned the effectiveness of the ban, with reports of breeders and owners finding workarounds to avoid having their dogs seized.
Doug Smith, member of Bully Watch, told the MailOnline earlier this year that more XL Bully remain likely despite the new legislation.
‘The ban hasn’t had an impact on the ownership of these dogs and they are being rehomed to unsuitable homes illegally’, Mr Smith said.
‘People are rehoming these dogs to other irresponsible owners. It is a case of idiots giving their dogs to other idiots. These people think they are responsible owners when they aren’t.’
Moreover, there have been further reports of pet owners attempting to dodge the ban by breeding ‘micro’ or ‘pocket’ versions of XL Bullies.
As for the confirmed effectiveness of the XL Bully ban, the true results are yet to be seen with the Office for National Statistics still awaiting official figures on UK dog deaths for 2024.
Part of the Dangerous Dogs Act, if an owner is found to be in breach of the XL Bully ban, they can be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison, be disqualified from owning other dogs in future and also allows for authorities to euthanize dogs deemed to be dangerous.
As for the confirmed effectiveness of the XL Bully ban, the true results are yet to be seen with the Office for National Statistics still awaiting official figures on UK dog deaths for 2024.
Injuries and deaths after attacks by XL bully-type dogs
Jonathan Halstead, 35 – January 29, 2020
Jonathan died from a severe neck injury and bites after being attacked in his home in Oldham, Greater Manchester by his pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bronson.
It is believed the dog attacked him when its owner suffered an epileptic fit.
Jack Lis, 10 – November 8, 2021
Schoolboy Jack Lis, ten, suffered catastrophic injuries after being mauled by an American XL bully dog called Beast while visiting a friend’s home in Penyrheol in Caerphilly, Wales on November 8, 2021.
Neighbours and Welsh Ambulance Service paramedics desperately tried to save him but he died at the scene. Armed police destroyed the dog on site.
Adam Watts, 55 – December 22, 2021
Adam Watts, 55, was attacked at the Juniper Kennels and Cattery in Kirkton of Auchterhouse, near Dundee, and was pronounced dead at the scene on December 22, 2021.
Bella-Rae Birch, 17 months – March 21, 2022
Toddler Bella-Rae Birch was attacked by her family’s pet American bully XL dog when she was just 17 months old.
The vicious dog snatched the child out of her mother’s arms while they were at their home in Blackbrook, St Helens, Merseyside, on March 21 last year.
Keven Jones, 62 – May 28, 2022
Keven Jones died after he was attacked by an American Bully XL dog in Wrexham, Wales on May 28 last year.
Ambulance workers attempted to save him but they were unable to stop his left leg bleeding.
Mr Jones was then pronounced dead at his son’s house following the attack.
Joanne Robinson, 43 – July 15, 2022
Mother-of-two Joanne Robinson, 43, was killed by her American bully XL dog, Rocco, after it ‘turned mad in the extreme heat’ in July last year.
She died at the scene of the attack at home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire while her partner, Jamie Stead, was left with injuries to his hands, stomach and face as he tried to pull the animal off her.
Joanne’s mother Dot, of Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, revealed at the time that Rocco had previously fought with their other dog Lola – and she had warned her daughter to ‘get rid of one of them’.
Ian Symes, 34 – August 2022
Ian ‘Wiggy’ Symes, 34, who is understood to have been walking a bully XL dog himself at a recreation ground in Fareham, Hampshire, died at the scene following a horrific dog attack in August 2022.
His devastated family said he was ‘doing something he loved’ when he died in the field in Fareham, Hampshire.
Ann Dunn, 65 – October 3, 2022
Ann Dunn, 65, was found collapsed with ‘catastrophic injuries’ at her Liverpool home she shared with seven dogs on October 3 last year.
She was mauled to death by dogs including an American bully XL – and had been sent to hospital a year before her death because she had been bitten by a dog.
Shirley Patrick, 83 – December 3, 2022
Widowed grandmother Shirley Patrick, 83, died after being viciously mauled by an XL bully in her own home.
The retired nurse died in hospital 17 days after suffering ‘life-threatening injuries’ during the ‘hellish’ and ‘violent’ dog attack in Caerphilly, South Wales on December 3 last year.
Jonathan Hogg, 37 – May 18, 2023
Jonathan Hogg, 37, was mauled to death by an American XL bully dog when it turned on him while he was looking after it for a friend.
He entered the pen when it went for him, leaving bite wounds on his arm, leg and head, an inquest heard.
He was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries after the mauling in Leigh, Greater Manchester, on May 18 this year.
Ian Price, 52 – September 14, 2023
On Thursday, September 14, ‘pillar of the community’ Ian Price, 52, was attacked and killed by two ‘devil’ XL bully dogs after they jumped out of his neighbour’s window in Stonnall, Staffordshire.
Mr Price was attacked and killed by the two dogs which jumped out of a neighbour’s window yards from a primary school. He reportedly died defending his elderly mother from the animals.
The dogs bit him and ripped the clothes from his body leaving him dying in a pool of blood in his boxer shorts in the horror attack just feet from his home.
Ian Langley, 54 – October 3, 2023
Ian Langley, 54, was set upon on the estate in Sunderland on October 3 this year by an enormous XL bully dog which grabbed him by the neck as he bent down to pick up his Patterdale terrier pup.
The attack left Mr Langley needing CPR for around 15 minutes as emergency services fought to stop heavy bleeding from his wounds. He died from his injuries.
