The mother of a 10-year-old boy who was killed by an American bully XL dog has launched a scathing attack on the UK government for not acting sooner to ban the breed.
Emma Whitfield, whose son Jack Lis was fatally wounded two years ago, criticised Suella Braverman, the home secretary, after she said she had commissioned “urgent advice” on outlawing the dogs after an attack on an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham was filmed and posted on social media.
Writing on X, previously known as Twitter, Whitfield said: “It’s crazy how this video has gone viral and now politicians are coming out of the woodwork saying how bad it is.
“Where were you when my son was killed? Where were you when other innocent people were killed? Where were you when I was at parliament asking for change? Nowhere.
“If you’re going to do something, please do it. Stop pussyfooting around the ‘breed neutral’ bull crap and do something.”
The term “breed neutral” refers to the idea that public safety is better protected when laws do not outlaw particular breeds and owners are held accountable for how their dog is cared for and controlled.
She added: “Maybe you can do this and work on the back yard breeders and the thuggish owners ruining lives too … it seems none of those in charge who could make changes wanted to listen to the victims’ families before now.”
Whitfield’s son was attacked by a bully XL dog named Beast in Caerphilly, south Wales, in November 2021. Brandon Hayden and Amy Salter were jailed after admitting being in charge of the out-of-control dog.
Whitfield spoke out in response to a post from Braverman reacting to the Birmingham attack in which she said: “This is appalling. The American XL bully is a clear and lethal danger to our communities, particularly to children. We can’t go on like this. I have commissioned urgent advice on banning them.”
On Monday West Midlands police said the dog involved in the attack in Bordesley Green in Birmingham on Saturday was a “crossbreed bully XL/Staffordshire bull terrier puppy”.
The force said the 11-year-old girl needed hospital treatment and two other people sustained injuries. Officers are waiting to interview the owner, who is in hospital. The dog is being kept in a secure kennel.
The girl who was hurt, Ana Paun, said the dog jumped on her as she was shopping with her sister and clamped its jaws around her arm and her shoulder.
She said: “I just felt panic. The dog was staring at me. He jumped on my arm and bit me. It was so scary. I was screaming. He let my arm go and then bit my shoulder.
“I want him [the dog] to go away, to die. I think all of the dogs, the bulldogs, all of them should be banned. The owner should be in prison because he never did anything, he just let the dog bite everyone.”
Mark Drakeford, the Welsh first minister, called for the breed to be banned and questioned why the UK government has not acted sooner.
He said: “I think the UK government should get on with it, and get on with it as fast as possible. The 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act is non-devolved and it’s in the hands of the UK government. I think they should have acted already, and I certainly think they need to act now.”
Keir Starmer, the UK Labour leader, said there was a “strong case” for banning the breed.
Downing Street said the government took the issue of American bully XL dogs “extremely seriously”.
“The footage we saw over the weekend was shocking. I know that the police are investigating that specific incident,” Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson said.
