Statistics show mistreatment of XL Bullies increases following ban

Recent figures have uncovered that the neglect of XL Bullies has spiked since 2023, when the UK government announced a ban on the breed.

This came into force in 2024. Under the law, tens of thousands of the breed were exempted by their owners and now live under rigid restrictions, like being muzzled and on the lead in public.

The RSPCA has released statistics displaying that the number of incidents reported related to American XL Bullies in the past six years has risen. The news arrives as part of the charity’s fundraising campaign, Cruelty Hurts, Love Rescues, which also coincides with its most active time, as animal cruelty cases peak during summer.

The animal welfare charity reported that in 2020, it dealt with only 23 reports related to the breed. In 2025, this figure had risen by 3,591 percent when it recorded 849 incidents. In detail, the figures showed an increase in cases following the ban where XL Bullies were abandoned, neglected or left unattended.

Dr Samantha Gaines, a welfare expert and head for dog control issues at the RSPCA, said the charity was concerned with the spike in incidents and believes the ban may be responsible. She cited the increased pressure placed on owners who struggled to take care of pets and others who feared how they could cope with owning a dog classed as exempt, because of targeted violence towards the breed.

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