British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said today that American XL bully dogs will be banned by the end of the year, saying the animals are responsible for a series of serious attacks.

American XL bully dogs are a breed that comes from crossbreeding others, including pit bulls and molossers. These dogs are more stocky and muscular and have a heavier frame than pit bulls.

A man was killed yesterday, Thursday, in a dog attack in central England, believed to be by an XL bully dog.

This is the seventh dog attack death in the UK this year and in announcing the measure, Sunak said he “shares the nation’s horror” at recent attacks

“It is clear that this is not a few poorly trained dogs, it is a pattern of behavior that cannot continue,” Sunak said in a video message.

“I want to reassure people that we are urgently working on ways to stop these attacks and protect the public,” he said.

The attack, which claimed the life of a man yesterday afternoon, took place in central England, near a Primary school in the village of Stonol, during the end of classes.

“We found a man who had suffered multiple potentially life-threatening injuries and was in a critical condition,” West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

Despite the care he received on the spot and in the ambulance, “at the hospital it became clear that nothing could be done to save him and he was declared dead”, he added.

According to the police, two dogs attacked the victim near their owner’s apartment.

Bystanders tried to restrain one of the animals, while the other was locked in its owner’s home. The police prevented the Primary students from leaving their school.

The owner of the dogs, aged 30, was arrested for possession of uncontrolled dogs.

Recent BBC research has shown that such attacks have increased by more than a third in five years in England and Wales, although the number of pet dogs has only increased by around 15% over the same period.

Veterinarians cited by British media cite several possible causes: lockdowns that have reduced dog-human interactions, a decline in the quality of dog training against a background of increased demand, or even the tendency of owners to want to take everywhere with their dogs.

Cases presented by the media made this phenomenon evident, among which assault on an 11-year-old child who was injured by an American Bully XL.

The issue has sparked debate, however, as some vets argue that training, rather than the breed itself, is to blame.