Police in Britain seized two XL Bullies after a man was found dead with dog bites. Neighbors called police to report a dog on the loose and a disturbing smell emanating from a nearby garden. When officers arrived, they found the decomposing body of 33-year-old Nicholas Glass, who had died from “injuries consistent” with a dog mauling. Glass had been taking care of four of his brother’s dogs, two of which were XL Bullies, which are banned in the UK.
Charlene Newman, who lives nearby and alerted police, said she smelled “something rotting, and it was coming from the bottom of the hedge in the back garden.” Another neighbor told reporters that he heard no barking or commotion but saw “bloody scratches” on the window frame at the rear of Glass’s house.
Police deployed drones and specialist dog handlers to track down the four animals, which were removed to secure kennels. The dead man’s family said they were devasted by the horrific incident and said Mr. Glass was “a loving son, brother, and uncle who was adored by all of his family and friends.”
Ownership of XL Bullies became illegal in the UK in February. Breeding, selling, gifting, or exchanging the animals is an offense, and only owners with specific exemptions are permitted to keep the animals. People who owned the dogs when the law came into force were obliged to neuter them, microchip them, place a muzzle over their mouths at all times in public, insure them against causing third-party harm, and houses them in secure enclosures.
British dog charities objected to the legislation, saying it demonized the animal when owners are usually to blame for bad behavior. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) described the legislation as a “mess” and argued it would not protect the public.
Proprietorship of the animals is banned under the provisions of the UK’s Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991, which prohibits ownership of several breeds, including the Pit Bull Terrier and the Japanese Tosa.
