Dog breeders find XL bully ban LOOPHOLE with mini 'pocket bully' version that's just as vicious

Dog breeders are bypassing the XL Bully ban – by plugging a smaller version that can be just as vicious, a Mirror investigation has found. Pocket bullys have soared in popularity since the ban on XLs came into force, with resale sites packed with ads. They're genetically identical to the XL Bully, so experts fear an uptick in deadly attacks. Our probe comes days after three-month-old Maggie-May Ann Moody was allegedly mauled to death by a dog reported to be a pocket bully-type in Redcar, North Yorks. Maggie-May's family paid tribute to her saying: "Maggie changed us in so many ways. She was everything to us. She gave us meaning and purpose every day, and we feel empty. As parents and a family, we have been robbed of a beautiful lifetime and memories with her. Last night Amanda Holmes, whose five-year-old boy Antonio was left with life changing injuries after being savaged by a pocket bully , called for the hounds to be banned. She said: “The dog bit Antonio’s face in two places and his thigh, he was in surgery for six hours. "Before the attack, he was a happy little boy – now he’s having nightmares, wetting the bed and terrified. He’s still under the scar unit at the hospital. He’s a different child." The mum, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, added: “It’s horrible, I have flashbacks. When I’m in bed the picture comes into my head. These dogs should not be allowed.” Pockets and XLs are both American bulldogs. The only differentiating factor is their height and weight. Pockets are currently legal in the UK. Fully grown pockets are typically 17 inches tall, three inches shorter than the average XL. But their dense, muscular build makes them heavy and strong for their size. A variant of the American Bully breed, the dogs are selectively bred to be short and muscular by crossing Pit Bulls with smaller English Bulldogs, Patterdale Terriers, or American Staffordshire Terriers They are typically only around 13 to 17 inches (33 to 43 cm) tall, and face a range of serious health problems resulting from their size and inbreeding. The sale of American XL Bully dogs was banned from the start of 2024 following a Mirror campaign for action. Jeffrey Turner, a dangerous dog assessor and expert witness, said: “Pocket bullys are smaller versions of the XL. They can bite. And at the end of the day they are very powerful units. "A lot of these bully breeds are getting into the wrong hands. If people are getting pockets purely because of their looks and do not research what a dog needs and their history, I fear there will be a rise in bite incidents involving them. "During the pandemic, organised crime groups moved into breeding American bullys to make easy money selling puppies for £5,000-plus. Because of bad breeding, some dogs had temperament and behaviour problems which would have got worse as those dogs have mated.” There were three media-reported deaths involving XL Bullys in 2025, down from six the previous year. No deaths have been linked to the XL so far this year. But there have been attacks by other bully variants, with three recorded in the first two weeks of this month. A day after the Redcar horror, 19-year-old Jamie-Lea Biscoe was killed by a bully lurcher cross at her home in Great Dunmow, Essex. And this week a woman in her 70s was killed by two dogs - thought to be bullys - in Wolverhampton. Despite the grave risks, we found scores of ads pushing pocket bullys at the click of a button. One on Gumtree describes the dogs as “the most sought-after bloodlines in the world , combining massive structure with a compact, pocket height”. It said: “Known for extreme muscle, wide chests, and that unmistakable blocky head - this brings proven champion structure and temperament into the mix.” Another claimed: “Bred for temperament both parents come from a family home. Puppies will be brought up around a busy home with children and fully desensitised to all household activity.” We also joined a Facebook group for pocket bully owners, where many users encourage territorial and aggressive behaviour. One wrote: “A dogs’ job is to protect, let them bark, it's [his] way of protecting his family.” And when asking for advice on a pocket being reactive, a user dismisses their concerns with: “They just have that protective personality built in them.” On pockets being sold on sites like Gumtree, expert Jeffrey added: “I have concerns when any dog is sold on websites such as Gumtree. Why are the owners selling them? What is the dog's training, health and behaviour history?” Mum-of-seven Karen Hawthornthwaite was diagnosed with PTSD after her beloved lhasa apso Benji was killed by a pocket bully last year. Retelling the incident, the 55-year-old, of Darwin, Lancs, said: “I had Benji on the lead and I was chatting to my neighbour. The next thing I heard this almighty scream, and this dog had got hold of Benji by the neck and the leg. “He went to hospital but he never recovered, the damage was too deep. A week later he had to be put to sleep. I’ve heard in the meantime that the dog has killed another dog and bitten a child. "The police interviewed the man but did absolutely nothing. It’s disgusting the way I’ve been treated. They've taken me from pillar to post. It’s just not fair.” On the impact of losing Benji, Karen - now mum to working cocker spaniel Luna - continued: “I still have CBT therapy, I still have anxiety tablets, I can’t do morning walks unless someone is with me. I’m frightened to death of it happening again. I would 100 per cent like to see the pocket bully banned.” But many experts say banning breeds is not the answer, arguing irresponsible owners should be paying the price. Dog behaviourist Rob Alleyne told us: “All owners must take responsibility for having their dogs under control. But we now live in a blame culture, where owners blame everyone and everything but themselves for their lack of control over their dog. “What we need is for those people to be prosecuted, and made examples of. But then we get back to the real root of the problem – who is going to pay for it?” "I also frequently hear people talking about licensing as a solution. But all that that would do is penalise responsible dog owners with further expense. In the real world, a dog that bites will be no less likely to bite because its owner has a licence. And an irresponsible dog owner will not become a responsible one because the government made them purchase a dog licence.” In all, there were 31,920 dog attacks on people recorded in England and Wales in 2024 - a 2% increase on 2023, according to police figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws.