'They sit for us, we stand for them': ANOTHER XL Bully owner dons a muzzle in support of his banned dog as Northern Ireland considers joining rest of UK in outlawing dogs

Facebook group, Save Our Bully's UK, shows image of owner wearing a muzzleGovernment has introduced a ban on the XL Bully breed in England and Wales But many owners disagree with the ban and 600,000 have signed a petition 

An XL Bully owner has appeared on social media wearing a muzzle in solidarity with his dog, in the latest of similar protests by owners demanding the Government overturns its recently-introduced ban on the breed, as Northern Ireland considers following suit.

From January 31, it will be illegal in England and Wales to own XL Bully-type dogs without an exemption after a slew of fatal attacks across the UK.

But many have criticised the Government for introducing the new law, which they disagree with and say has slapped dog owners with large bills and ‘very little time’ to implement the necessary changes.

Earlier this week, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf made a ‘humiliating U-turn’ on XL bully dogs, promising to replicate measures introduced by the UK Government south of the Border, having initially resisted the move.

Northern Ireland is now also contemplating introducing the ban.

An XL Bully owner has appeared on social media wearing a muzzle in solidarity with his dog, in the latest of similar protests by owners demanding the Government overturns its ban

The images appeared on a Facebook support group for XL Bully owners, Save our Bully’s UK

The post, which has attracted nearly 100 likes, follows a slew of similar protests since the ban in England and Wales was introduced on December 31

Now XL Bully owners are openly coming out in protest and have posted videos or images of themselves wearing muzzles as they take their dogs out.

Posting on a Facebook support forum for owners, Save our Bully’s UK, user Kayleigh Heath uploaded a picture and wrote: ‘They sit for us WE stand for them, finally cracked the muzzle. Daddy wears one, kuba wears one, no dramas at all.’

The post, which has attracted nearly 100 likes, follows a slew of similar protests since the ban in England and Wales was introduced on December 31.

Dog owner Mandy Hughes – whose TikTok videos protesting new laws banning XL Bullies have gone viral – refuses to muzzle her six-year-old bulldog Elsa and has vowed to go to prison rather than apply for an exemption for her.

Footage of the 57-year-old singing lyrics on the platform, which include, ‘Don’t you put no muzzle on me, stop putting the blame on me’ have racked up half-a-million views.

Ms Hughes, from Allithwaite in Cumbria, rapped in a remixed version of Jack Harlow’s Lovin on Me.

Earlier this month, XL Bully owners  in Manchester held a protest against the imminent ban on the breed that they say has turned their lives ‘upside down’.

Owners of the crossbreed pups – the rehoming and breeding of which has now been outlawed – rallied in the city centre, waving signs that read ‘don’t bully our bullies’ and others that called for the law to be rolled back.

Protesters also laid down roses that they said represented the lives of XL Bully dogs that had been euthanised in the run up to the ban on owning the canine without a licence that comes into effect on February 1.

Elsewhere, Eamonn Mcgeady, 51, staged a one-man protest against new XL Bully laws by wearing a muzzle and guzzling a pint through a straw at his local pub.

He and his six-month-old dog Lexi wore matching protective guards on their visit to the Straw Hat, in Ellesport, Cheshire, earlier this month.

More than 600,000 people have also signed a UK Parliament petition calling for the ban on the breed – linked to up to 14 deaths since 2021 – to be overturned.

The government announced in September it would ban XL Bully dogs, with Defra listing a set of physical characteristics used to define the type of dog.

It describes the type as large and powerfully built, with a muscular body and blocky head, meaning similar dogs – such as American Bulldogs – could meet the criteria.

From January 31, it will be an offence to own an XL Bully unless it is registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs and is compliant with the requirements.

From January 31, it will be an offence to own an XL Bully unless it is registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs and is compliant with the requirements

Dogs without exemptions could be seized and potentially euthanised by the authorities.

Under the changes, dogs that are more than one year old after this date must be neutered by June 30 while younger dogs must receive the same treatment by December 31.

The clampdown followed a wave of fatal attacks linked to XL Bully-type animals, including Ian Price who was killed in Stonnall, Staffordshire, in September, and Ian Langley, who died in Sunderland in October.