Owner of XL Bullies filmed jumping at woman's car insists they were 'friendly'

18 December 2023 , 10:18

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One of the two dogs seen in Sheffield is pictured (Image: Bully Watch UK)

Two XL Bullies which were filmed running loose on a street, jumping at a woman's car and allegedly trying to attack another dog "were just being friendly," it's been claimed.

A viral video circulated on social media showed the pooches without collars and leads when they circled a pram and entered the grounds of a school last week in Arbourthorne, Sheffield. Police were called to the scene and seized the dogs after receiving two reports of canines on the loose on the estate.

But one woman, who insisted she came across the dogs and followed them "for a good 45 minutes" in her car, said: "I found these dogs. They were not aggressive at all. I stayed with them a while while posts were made trying to find their owner. They were spotted being fussed by the police and jumped in their car with tails wagging...They didn’t attack any other dog."

The XL Bullies were seen running loose on an estate in the Yorkshire city (Bully Watch UK)

She said the dogs looked "lost and scared" and weren't a threat to members of the public. Police told the Sheffield Star no one was injured after they were called to help the dogs.

Their owner claims she collected them on the same day after officers scanned their microchips. However, police told the Mirror today the dogs were seized as strays and have been given to Sheffield City Council’s kennels. The Mirror has approached the council for clarification on what has happened to the dogs.

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The owner, who wants to remain anonymous, told the Star: "They are as soft as a brush. I can’t imagine one person who saw them saying they are aggressive. They are family dogs and both the police and the pound were saying how lovely they are. The police told the kennels they were friendly. It’s hard as it is on XL Bullies now, never mind the one that are harmless." She said the dogs escaped after she left them in her back garden when she was called away on an emergency.

Rishi Sunak had called the breed a 'danger to our communities' in September (AFP via Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak had said the XL Bully breed would be banned in the UK from 2024 but, with just weeks left of the year, dog owners face a race against time to meet the new rules The Prime Minister had called the breed a "danger to our communities" in September following a spate of attacks, including some fatal horrors.

But owners have to apply to have their pets exempt from the crackdown - which means they would have to pay £92.40 for a certificate and the dog would need to be microchipped and neutered, among other rules. The second option would be to have their dogs put down, with the Government offering £200 in compensation to these owners.

Bradley Jolly