XL Bullys Sheffield: "I'm paying price of 'dangerous' dogs ban, three months after laws introduced"

"Until three months ago, I felt my pet Bruno was a happy dog, like any other," says Sheffield owner Janine Oxley.

"I have owned the three-year-old since he was nine months, adopting him from an animal rescue centre after he had been given a difficult start.

"But all that changed in January - because Bruno is an XL Bully.

"And when the breed was banned, it meant big changes for both me and Bruno, who can no longer go out without a lead or a muzzle.

"I have faced a major rise in the cost of keeping him, and have seen him losing some of the things he loved. I still love him.

"It's been very difficult. I adopted him when he was nine months old, from JLP Animal Rescue in Rotherham, and he was in a bad way. He had a fractured hip. But I got him home, and spent a lot of time and money training him.

"I would take him for walks for hours, and he would always come back to me. When the ban came in he couldn't understand why he was not allowed off the lead any more. He just loved having a run around.

"It has made such a difference, It is a double shock that he can't run around, and has to wear a muzzle. And there is also the perception that people have now. I've been shouted at because I have a dog with a muzzle. I started muzzle training with Bruno before the ban came in, so he would be ready.

"But the first day after the ban, he went out in Oughtibridge Park, and sniffed another dog with his muzzle on. The owner went crazy to the point he made me cry. But Bruno is the softest dog ever.

"I take Bruno to a dog park, Rivelin Valley Dog Park, to give him a run off a lead in a 50 square metre secure area. The facility is brilliant, but at £10 an hour I cannot afford to do it every day.

"I have already had to pay for his exemption, and for muzzle training, as well as muzzles which have cost as much as £70 each.

"When the ban first came in, there was no education about muzzles. It has been a massive learning curve, although Bruno is very good at picking things up.

"He had a bad start in life, came to me, and did loads of things, and so much has been taken away now.

"I have also started wearing a bodycam whenever I take Bruno out. I feel it could only take one person to complain that they feel threatened for the police to come and seize him. I wear the camera to make sure I can prove his innocence.

"Once people would come up and pet him, which he loved. But now people pick their children up, or cross the road to avoid him. I think he wonders what he's done.

"I understand why people have been concerned, and understand something needed to be done. But I feels that the laws should have targeted dog owners, not the dogs, perhaps bringing in strict licences. I supports the return of dog licences, which were scrapped in 1987, and feel Bruno no longer lives the happy life he did previously.

"I feel the laws will in time move on to banning other types of dogs, because the bans do not address the problem of bad owners.

"I have also seen the cost of health insurance for Bruno rocket.

Get a bespoke headline round-up, as well as breaking updates, when you sign up to The Star’s free emails

"We can no longer get affordable health insurance for XL Bullys

"We have to have third party liability insurance as part of the exemption process - this is available from the dogs trust at £25 per year.

"This only covers if your dog is in an incident where it harms someone. As regards to health insurance, most companies have now black listed XL Bullys and will no longer insure them for health. There are only two insurers I’m aware of that will cover XL Bullys for health insurance. However, when receiving quotes, one wanted £200 a month, and the other £180 a month, just to cover health of the dog.

"This in comparison to what I was paying, which was £28 a month before it got cancelled as they wouldn’t cover bully breeds after the ban.

"If XL Bullys are so dangerous, why would public liability insurance be so cheap at £25 a year, yet health insurance is nearly £200 a month?

"How can a banned breed suddenly have a higher price for health? Being banned doesn’t make them more prone to health issues. This means most people in my position now can’t afford health insurance, so should they have an accident or have a health issue, we now have to fund the vets bills which could run into thousands."

The Association of British Insurers has been contacted for comment