Rise of the Exotic Bully: How pet owners are dodging exemptions by breeding ... trends now
Pet owners who long for an XL Bully are dodging exemption requirements by buying a nano, micro or pocket version of the banned dog, experts claim.
The past year has seen several horrific attacks by XL Bully dogs, including on 68-year-old grandmother Esther Martin who was mauled to death in February by two of her son-in-law's allegedly unregistered dogs.
Last September, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak decided to ban the dog - meaning owners have to register them and apply for an exemption.
But owners who may try to avoid the hassle of this process are finding a loophole by buying nano, micro and pocket versions of the dog.
They claim this tiny breed - which grows to 22-27cm in height - is not aggressive and the only problem owners say they have is the dogs chewing their skirting boards.
However, experts have warned that the extreme levels of inbreeding that occurs to create the bite-sized dogs is problematic and they can still be a 'risk to the public'.
Pet owners who long for an XL Bully are dodging exemption requirements by buying a nano, micro or pocket version of the banned dog, experts claim. Pictured is an Exotic Bully
Owners claim this tiny breed - which grows to 22-27cm in height - is not aggressive and the only problem owners say they have is the dogs chewing their skirting boards
There are currently only a few hundred genuine Exotic Bully dogs (which is the overarching term) in the UK, according to The Independent.
Exotics are bred to be extremely musculature and strong - like their XL Bully counterparts - but half the height and the aggression is meant to be bred out.
The first dog of this type to be bred was a small and squat grey dog called Mr Miagi in 2008, in the United States.
The intention behind breeding these minuscule dogs is to keep their powerful appearance but make them more docile and gentle with other dogs and children.
According to BRC Global Pedigrees - which registers pets to take part in competitions - Exotics are very rarely aggressive.
They came about by breeding American Bullys with dogs such as French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, and American Staffordshire Terriers.
While there are several types of Bully dogs which are recognised breeds, many - such as the Exotic - are not.
And while owners and breeders claim the dogs have a sweet temperament, they have come under fire for 'unethical' breeding practices.
This is because there are many hereditary health problems in these dogs which go on to affect their offspring and shorten the breed's lifespan and lower their quality of life.
Experts have warned that the extreme levels of inbreeding that occurs to create the bite-sized versions is problematic and can cause health issues which affect quality of life
The intention behind breeding these minuscule dogs is to keep their powerful appearance but make them more docile and gentle with other dogs and children
Many Exotic bully types have major health issues due to the extreme downsizing, especially orthopaedic conditions.
Due to their weight being out of proportion with their small bodies, this causes intense pressure on their joints leading to back pain and loss of mobility early on.
Vet Nick Horniman told MailOnline: “Exotic bully breeds, including pocket bully variants, have
