The mother of a 10-year-old boy killed by an American Bully XL dog has questioned why the British government has not acted sooner to ban the breed.
Emma Whitfield spoke out after UK home secretary Suella Braverman suggested the animals could be prohibited.
The minister announced she has commissioned “urgent advice” on outlawing the dogs after she highlighted an “appalling” attack on an 11-year-old girl in Birmingham, England, which was filmed by an eyewitness and posted on social media.
It’s crazy how this video has gone viral and now politicians are coming out of the woodwork saying how bad it is.
Where were you when my son was killed? Where were you when other innocent people were killed?
Where were you when I was at Parliament asking for change?
Nowhere.
If… https://t.co/0OqNvOft1D— Emma W #ForJackLis💙 (@Emma__Whitfield) September 10, 2023
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Ms Whitfield’s son, Jack Lis, was attacked by a Bully XL dog named Beast in Caerphilly, South Wales, two years ago.
Writing on X, previously known as Twitter, Ms Whitfield said: “It’s crazy how this video has gone viral and now politicians are coming out of the woodwork saying how bad it is.
“Where were you when my son was killed? Where were you when other innocent people were killed?
“Where were you when I was at Parliament asking for change? Nowhere.
“If you’re going to do something, please do it. Stop pussyfooting around the ‘breed neutral’ bull crap and do something.
“Maybe you can do this and work on the backyard breeders and the thuggish owners ruining lives too.”
Brandon Hayden and Amy Salter were later jailed after admitting being in charge of the out-of-control dog that killed Jack.
Wales first minister Mark Drakeford has reiterated his call for the breed to be banned and also questioned why the UK government has not acted sooner.
“I think the UK government should get on with it, and get on with it as fast as possible,” he told reporters at a Welsh government press conference.
“The 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act is non-devolved and it’s in the hands of the UK government.
“I think they should have acted already, and I certainly think they need to act now.”
Mr Drakeford said he had met the police officers who attended after the attack on Jack, and spoken to them about what happened.
“I attended the Police Federation national bravery awards in London just at the start of the recess,” he said.
“The small team of police officers who attended that absolutely awful incident were nominated for a national bravery award.
“I was fortunate to be able to talk with them about what they had witnessed that night and how they had helped others to deal with it.
“You cannot imagine how awful that must have been.”
The dog, which is developed from the American pit bull terrier, is not a recognised as a specific breed by the Kennel Club.
It could be hard to define and some fear a ban could inadvertently outlaw a range of other dogs.
There are currently four banned breeds of dog in the UK: the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
Downing Street said the UK government takes the issue of American bully XL dogs “extremely seriously”.
“The footage we saw over the weekend was shocking. I know that the police are investigating that specific incident,” the UK prime minister’s official spokesman said.
“We take this issue extremely seriously. We have commissioned urgent advice on what steps we can take on dangerous dogs. I think the Home Secretary set that out yesterday. And beyond that immediate work, we do have a number of measures to protect people under the Dangerous Dogs Act.”
