XL Bully leaves 5 year-old boy with serious head injuries after vicious attack

The child was rushed to hospital where he is recovering. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Humberside Police's DCI Allison Sweeting said: “We are working closely with the boy's family and the owner of the dog to understand the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“At this stage, the breed of dog is believed to be an XL bully type and it has been seized as part of our enquiries.”

It is the latest incident in a wave of attacks carried out by the recently banned breed.

Earlier this month, Angeline Mahal was viciously attacked by the hounds - and though police, paramedics and the air ambulance were dispatched, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Metropolitan Police said it sent armed officers to the address in Cornwall Close, Hornchurch, because of the threat posed by the two dogs.

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The dogs were then seized by police and were found to have been registered XL Bully dogs - a breed banned by the Government at the start of February this year.

Following the attack, Hannah Molloy, an animal behaviourist, urged the Government to introduce a “DVLA style” training course for people who want to own a dog.

Speaking to Martin Daubney on GB News, Molloy said: “We need a much broader spectrum approach to dealing with responsible dog ownership.

“I think in the UK, we need to see a new agency formed by the government, a bit like the DVLA. If we had the dog licensing agency and every dog owner was charged, say £100, we would have £1.2 billion to spend on enforcement and education.”

Restrictions were imposed on XL Bully dogs earlier this year following a spate of fatal incidents across the country.

It is now an offence to sell, abandon, give away, breed, or walk an unleashed and unmuzzled XL Bully dog in England and Wales, with Scotland imposing the same legislation on February 23.

Nearly 40,000 XL Bully dogs are thought to still be on Britain’s streets despite a ban on the breed being introduced - according to the banned breeds register, some 38,424 dogs were granted the £92 exemption to avoid being put down.

Estimates suggest there have been over 25 deaths linked to the breed since 2021.