What happened last time dogs were banned in the UK in 1991? Rukhsana Khan’s case
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It marks the first time since 1991 that a dog, or dogs, have been banned in the UK following the Dangerous Dog Act of 1991.
Following news that a man was mauled to death in Stonnall, Staffordshire yesterday Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he ‘suspected’ it was another ‘XL bully dog attack’.
52-year-old Ian Price was taken to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital but was later sadly confirmed dead.
BREAKING: American XL bully dogs are a danger to communities and will banned, Rishi Sunak has said, following a spate of recent attacks.https://t.co/tWIPveirkC
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/xkV84g0eNV
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 15, 2023
What happened the last time a dog was banned in the UK?
The Prime Minister said he “shared the nation’s horror” and stressed the need to end such violent attacks “and keep people safe”.
His words come more than 30 years after then Home Secretary Kenneth Baker vowed to rid the country of the ‘menace’ of the pit bull terrier following a string of attacks – including the mauling of six-year-old Rukhsana Khan in Bradford.
Another victim before the Dangerous Dogs Act was passed was grandfather Frank Tempest, who had his nose bitten off and suffered other serious injuries after being attacked by two pit bulls in April 1991.
Rukhsana’s and Mr Tempest’s cases had been among nine others in 1991 that were brought to Parliament.
With the passing of the Dangerous Dogs Act in 1991, the pit bull – along with the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino and the Fila Brasileiro – were all banned.
Anyone who owned a banned breed when the legislation came into force had to neuter their dog and get it registered with both a tattoo and microchip.
Banned dogs also had to be fitted with muzzles when taken out for walks and owners had to purchase third-party insurance in case their animal hurt someone.
We are bringing together the police and experts to define the breed of dog behind these attacks and ban them under the Dangerous Dogs Act by the end of the year. pic.twitter.com/ap5AuylLUB
— Defra UK (@DefraGovUK) September 15, 2023
Rishi Sunak’s statement:
In a video statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, The Tory leader said: “The American XL bully dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children.
“I share the nation’s horror at the recent videos we’ve all seen. Yesterday we saw another suspected XL bully dog attack, which has tragically led to a fatality.
“It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it’s a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.
“While owners already have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control, I want to reassure people that we are urgently working on ways to stop these attacks and protect the public.”
BBC Verify reported that 10 people died because of dog bite injuries in England and Wales last year.
Sunak continued: “Today I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts, to firstly define the breed of dog behind these attacks, with the view to then outlawing it.
“It is not currently a breed defined in law, so this vital first step must happen fast.
“We will then ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be in place by the end of the year.
“These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe.”
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