An American Bully dog show has been cancelled after concerns over animal welfare.
It was due to be held just five miles from where a six year old girl was mauled by a pack of XL Bully’s last month. Police later seized 17 animals.
The breed has been involved in a string of fatal attacks, including the death of a dog walker Ian Symes, 34, who was killed by an 8st 3lb dog called Kong in Fareham, Hants, last August, and 17 month old Bella-Rae Birch, who died in St Helens in March last year.
The dog show, organised by the UK branch of the American Bully Kennel Club, was scheduled to open in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, Manchester on Saturday.
But on Thursday a spokesman for the venue, Bowlers Exhibition Centre, said: "After careful consideration and extensive consultation with local authorities, police and the RSPCA we have come to a mutual decision to cancel this weekend's ABKC dog show due to take place at the centre on Saturday."
The RSPCA welcomed the decision to pull the plug on the event - the second time it has been scrapped this year.
A show in Coventry last February was cancelled in the wake of a BBC Panorama investigation which highlighted the issue of illegal ear cropping of American Bully dogs.
Ear-cropping is where skin at the tops of dogs' ears is cut off to reshape them.
Dr Samantha Gaines, from the RSPCA’s charity’s companion animals department, said: “We raised our concerns with the centre and, after considering the impact of holding this event, they have listened and done the right thing. Cruel practices such as ear cropping should not be applauded.”
She added: “The BBC’s recent Panorama and Disclosure documentaries raised some really concerning questions about the welfare of many dogs being shown at these events - with the prominence of dogs with cropped ears a real worry for the RSPCA.”
The charity is calling on the government to close a loophole which allows dogs with cropped ears to be imported into the UK.
Vanessa Waddon, from the dog charity Hope Rescue said: “The practice of ear cropping is barbaric and is unnecessary.”
She added: “The only reason they do crop is purely aesthetic. It is to get the dog looking a certain way, make it look more intimidating, enhancing the muscular body tone of the dogs.”
