Overview

• A man sustained significant but non-life-threatening injuries and a woman was wounded in the arm after an XL bully-type dog attacked them inside a Maple Leaf Gardens property in Worksop.
• Nottinghamshire Police said officers arrived at 5.46pm on Thursday, established a cordon, controlled the dog and launched an investigation into the incident.
• The breed has been illegal without an exemption certificate since February 2024 after government data linked it to over half of UK dog-related human fatalities between 2021 and 2023.
• Owners of registered XL bullies must house them securely, have them neutered and keep them muzzled and leashed in public or face seizure, an unlimited fine and up to six months in jail.
• Animal welfare groups warn that breed-specific bans suffer from enforcement gaps and practical challenges in identifying and regulating XL bully dogs.