London woman mauled to death by her two extra-large bully dogs

A woman in London has been mauled to death by her two registered extra-large bully dogs, marking the latest tragedy involving this banned breed, police reported on Tuesday.

The victim, in her 50s, was fatally attacked in Hornchurch, a suburb in East London.

Authorities stated she was pronounced dead at the scene, and the two registered dogs were seized after being contained in a room.

As of February 1, owning the extra-large bully breed in England and Wales became a criminal offense without an exemption certificate. Owners must have their dogs neutered, microchipped, and kept muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.

The British government banned extra-large bullies following a series of attacks by this larger, more muscular version of the American Bully breed, which is relatively new.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 16 deaths due to dog attacks in 2023, a significant increase from previous years when the number had been in single figures.

As of late 2023, around 60 percent of dogs held in police kennels were some type of bull breed.

The attack in Hornchurch comes shortly after a mother and son were jailed a week earlier when an eight-year-old boy was injured in a brutal attack by their extra-large bully.