More than 400 American XL Bully dogs were put down after the Government banned the breed, new data reveals.
Owning an XL Bully, breeding or selling them in England and Wales is a criminal office unless owners have an exemption certificate.
After the ban came into effect in December, owners who did not want to apply for an exemption were required to have their American XL Bully put to sleep.
New data from the Rural Payments Agency states the Government has paid out £74,000 to owners of euthanised XL Bully dogs so far.
A Defra spokesperson said more than 400 compensation payments had been made for the dogs to be put to sleep.
The Government received 405 valid claims for compensation from owners or rescue centres where the dogs had to be put to sleep.
However, some 55,000 dogs have been registered with Defra, meaning the majority of XL Bully owners have kept their pets.
The spokesperson said: “The ban on XL bullies is an important measure to protect public safety, and we expect all XL Bully owners to comply with the strict conditions.
“We continue to work with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to prevent dog attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog.”
Animal rights’ charities said the ban had been “devastating” for owners, saying some will have felt “no choice” to have their pets put to sleep.
“This ban has been devastating for so many dogs and takes a heavy toll on their owners, who love them, who have had to find funds to pay for the exemption process and requirements at a time when finances for many are tight,” said an RSPCA spokesperson.
“The process has had a huge emotional impact on families worried about saving their beloved dogs and is also having a huge impact on veterinary teams who have had to have challenging discussions with owners about putting to sleep healthy dogs whose behaviour poses no risk.”
Along with the Dogs Trust, the RSPCA has called for the Government to review the legislation, saying breed-specific bans are harmful to dogs’ welfare, and also does not protect the public.
But campaigners with Bully Watch were among those who had welcomed the ban, calling the dogs a “clear and present threat to public health”.
The last Conservative government pushed ahead with a ban on the “dangerous” dogs after the breed was linked to a series of fatal maulings.
This included a woman in her fifties, Angeline Mahal, who was mauled to death by her registered XL Bully dogs in Hornchurch, east London, in May.
In 2021, 10-year-old Jack Lis died from severe neck and head injuries after he was attacked by an American Bully XL in Caerphilly, Wales.
The XL is the largest of four types of American Bully, and is strong enough to overpower an adult.
American Bullies are said to have originated in the US in the late 1980s, when American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers were crossed.
Four other dog breeds are banned in the UK: Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos and Fila Brasileiros.
