What's happening?

Ana Paun is an 11-year-old from BirminghamA major city in England. It has a population of more than one million. , England. Last Saturday, she was attacked by a dog. She had to spend a night in hospital, although she is now back at home and recovering. 

Ana was attacked by a type of dog called an American bully dog. The biggest type of these dogs, the American bully XL, is strong enough to overpower an adult. 

American bullies are a cross between different breedsA group of animals (e.g. dogs and cats) which look and mostly act in the same way. For example, a dog might be a Jack Russell or a German Shepherd. . They have been bred to look very fierce and muscly. 

There used to be only a few American bullies in the UK. But since 2020, the number has grown very quickly. 

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The number of attacks American bullies have been involved in has grown too. They are very powerful, which can mean the injuries from their bites are very serious. Some people have even died. 

In the UK, four dog breeds are already banned. On Sunday, Britain's home secretaryIn Britain, they are responsible for national security, immigration and policing. Suella Braverman said she wanted to find out if bully XLs could be added to that list. 

But others say banning breeds is not the answer. Some owners of American bullies say the breed can also be a loving pet - and the problem is other owners, not the dogs themselves. 

Yes! If American bully XLs were banned, then the number of people owning them would fall. This would lower the number of dog attacks. 

No! Banning breeds is not the answer. Instead, we need more rules for owners on how to treat and look after dogs to make sure they stay as loving pets.