Man Arrested For Manslaughter Over Dog Attack As UK Govt Vows Action

Police in central England said Friday that a man had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, after a 52-year-old man died following the latest in a spate of dog attacks nationwide

London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Sep, 2023 ) :Police in central England said Friday that a man had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, after a 52-year-old man died following the latest in a spate of dog attacks nationwide.

It comes as the issue of dangerous dogs reached the top level of UK politics, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowing to ban the so-called American Bully XL breed involved in numerous incidents.

The latest victim, Ian price, was attacked Thursday by two dogs outside a property in Stonnall, a village just north of Birmingham, and died later in hospital as a result of his injuries.

Staffordshire Police said a 30-year-old man was initially arrested on suspicion of being in charge of dogs dangerously out of control causing injury, and then further arrested for manslaughter.

"Our investigation continues at pace as we try to understand more about events leading up to this horrendous attack," the force said in an update.

One of the dogs died after being restrained, and the other died after an injection by a vet.

Officials are now determining the breeds of the dogs involved, but police said they are believed to be American Bullys, known for their stocky and muscular appearance.

On Saturday, an 11-year-old girl was left seriously injured after she was attacked by an American Bully XL and a Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed puppy.

Many other violent incidents have been reported over recent months involving Bullys or dogs suspected of being Bullys.

"It's clear the American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities," Sunak said in a recorded video statement posted on social media.

"I've ordered urgent work to define and ban this breed so we can end these violent attacks and keep people safe." He added the trend was "not about a handful of badly trained dogs" but "a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on", vowing new laws in place by the end of the year.

- 'Deeply concerned' - Bullys are said to have originated in the United States in the late 1980s, when American pit bull terriers and American Staffordshire bull terriers were crossed.

There are four variations in the US, with XL the largest.

They are not currently subject to any UK legal restrictions, and the breed is not recognised by the country's Kennel Club, complicating efforts to legislate them.

The pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro are currently banned in Britain.

However, dog welfare organisations and some animal behaviourists urged caution over the response to the spate of attacks.

The Kennel Club, the largest body in Britain devoted to canine health, welfare and training which organises the annual Crufts dog show, said the proposed ban "will sadly not stop these types of incidents recurring".

It urged the government to tackle "the root issue" by dealing with "unscrupulous breeders, who are putting profit before welfare, and the irresponsible owners whose dogs are dangerously out of control".

"It is also critical that any policy designed to protect public safety is based on robust evidence.

"We are deeply concerned about the lack of data behind this decision," the club added in joint statement with the Dog Control Coalition.

Carri Westgarth, professor in human-animal interaction at the University of Liverpool said "much more intervention and legislation are needed than simply banning one breed".

She questioned whether banning a single breed will encourage those who want to own that type of dog to simply turn to owning and breeding other similar types.

Westgarth noted this had happened with the development of the American Bully after Pitbulls were banned in Britain.