A tragic incident occurred in Stonnall, Staffordshire, where a man named Ian Price, 52, lost his life in a dog mauling. On Thursday afternoon, members of the public rushed to help as Mr. Price was attacked outside a property. Police took precautionary measures, stopping some children from leaving a nearby primary school for safety reasons during the incident. Mr. Price sustained multiple life-threatening injuries and was rushed to a hospital in Birmingham, where he was later declared dead.
The two dogs involved in the attack were believed to be American XL bullies, with further tests being conducted to confirm their breed. Unfortunately, one of the dogs died after being restrained, while the other had to be euthanized by a vet.
In response to this tragedy and recent similar incidents, Rishi Sunak has vowed to ban the breed, citing it as a danger to communities.
A 30-year-old man from the Lichfield area has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and for being in charge of dogs dangerously out of control in connection with the attack.
Superintendent Tracy Meir expressed her condolences to Mr. Price’s loved ones and assured that the investigation is ongoing, with statements taken, CCTV footage reviewed, and house-to-house inquiries conducted in the local area. They are keen to speak to anyone with information related to the incident.
In another incident in London, authorities are seeking to locate the owner of a grey pitbull-type dog that attacked a four-year-old boy in a Newham park, resulting in bite marks and requiring surgery.
The discussions surrounding a ban on XL bullies gained momentum after a distressing video surfaced of an 11-year-old girl being savagely attacked in Birmingham, causing serious injuries. However, there are concerns that implementing such a ban may not be straightforward due to the breed not being officially recognized by the Kennel Club. This situation has prompted calls for a reevaluation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, focusing on behavior rather than breed.
