A dog has been euthanised and its owner injured after they were attacked by an XL bully, according to police. It happened in Broadmead Avenue, Northampton, at about 19:20 GMT on New Year's Day. Police said the XL bully attacked a pomeranian and chihuahua cross-breed called Rex being walked by his owner.

The XL Bully dog ban comes into effect tomorrow – but one animal rights advocate has said the law is unfair to both the dogs and many owners.

Figures obtained by The Independent showed dog attacks rose by nine per cent in the first five months since the ban was brought in on XL bully dogs

A man has been jailed for owning an XL bully which attacked a 12-year-old girl. Justin Allison, 38, was jailed for a total of three years for owning a banned breed of dog, being in charged of a dog that was dangerously out of control and possessing a knife.

The High Court has granted an injunction to prevent XL Bully dogs already under the care of animal shelters from being put down.

The National Police Chiefs' Council predicts costs of enforcing the ban will have reached £25m by April this year.

At the High Court on Friday, Mr Justice John Jordan granted the injunction against the seizure or euthanasia of the breed in a case brought on behalf of six animal welfare charities.

The ban on XL bully dogs is expected to cost police forces up to £25million in veterinary bills and kennelling by April this year, police chiefs have warned. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) revealed the staggering figure this morning - which represents a 500 per cent increase from 2018,

As the XL Bully ban marks its first year, the financial and logistical strain on police forces intensifies, with thousands of dogs seized and a staggering rise in costs, sparking a complex debate on public safety and resource allocation.

XL bully dogs were banned in the UK last year with a number of other illegal breeds also being seized in the process as police use their tools to try tackle rise in dangerous dogs