XL bully ban: 'He's done nothing wrong, he just looks like something that has'

From 1 February it will be illegal to own an American XL bully dog without an exemption certificate in England and Wales.

The government has published guidance to help identify the dogs, which are not recognised as a specific breed by the UK Kennel Club.

It describes them as large dogs "with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for [their] size".

We spoke to Andrea Jane Taylor from Houghton-le-Spring. Her dog Winston fits some of the criteria, but is an Alapaha Blue American Bulldog.

She says she is "doing everything to protect her dog", but "every minute she worries" about leaving the house in case the four-year-old dog is targeted as a result of the ban.

Follow BBC Sunderland on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].

30 January 2024