If there’s one thing the recent ban has revealed about American Bully XL owners, it is that they really, really love their dogs.
Some might argue this is for good reason – the breed is known for being intelligent, sociable, and eager to please its owner.
But along with the outpouring of love, swathes of memes and posters have emerged from XL Bully supporters which throw a more eyebrow-raising spotlight on the breed.
Take the below from one Instagram user, who has placed a selection of Bullies in a knock-off Fast & Furious poster, complete with flames in the background, a motorbike and a souped-up car on either side.
The same user also posted a similar mock-up earlier this month of a Bully next to a French Bulldog, with flames emanating from both sides of the unsuspecting canines.
Elsewhere, a poster from June advertising a meetup between Bully owners from the UK and Brazil, with dogs placed in front of famous landmarks from the two countries including Big Ben and Christ The Redeemer.
A list of names appears below the dogs in the image: DXD Violet, SBC Staxx, Pitmon Deadshot and Canilsagreal Unica.
The caption on the Instagram post advertising the event reads: “These are going to be nothing but BEASTS!”
A more recent post for an event which was due to take place on 24 September follows the action movie poster format, with Bully headshots placed alongside those of a Rottweiler, a Doberman and several other breeds.
To its credit, the writing below reads: “No aggressive dogs, no dogs in heat, clean up after your dogs.”
It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a ban on XL Bullies earlier this month following a spate of attacks across the country.
The decision prompted hundreds of protestors to take to the streets in London and Birmingham.
They carried placards with messages such as: “Don’t bully our bullies,” and chanted: “Save our bullies”. One person wore a T-shirt which said: “Muzzle Rishi Sunak don’t bully our breed”.
While many XL Bully owners feel aggrieved at the ban, blaming bad owners rather than bad dogs, the statistics are stark.
Six of the 10 fatal dog attacks recorded in the UK last year were attributed to XL Bullies, while at least three of seven fatal dog attacks this year have been linked to the breed.
The posters do have a certain macho charm. But sadly, they don't do much to dispel the common conception that XL Bullies are a little, erm, scary.
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