Dead XL Bully dog found dumped on pavement in London | UK News

WARNING: Distressing content

The body of a dead American XL Bully female puppy has been found dumped on a pavement with serious head injuries.

The puppy, thought to be between six to nine-months-old, was found by a dog walker at Halcot Avenue in Bexleyheath, south east London, on Wednesday.

She was found inside a large cage-like dog crate next to a bin barely concealed under a blanket.

The large crate was too big to fit in a normal car, suggesting it was carried by two people and dropped off in a van or estate car.

She also had distinct grey Merle patches – uncommon in bully breeds, which volunteers from The Missing Paw Team UK hope will trigger someone’s memory to identify the dog.

The Missing Paw Team UK, who help find lost and stolen dogs, were called to the scene, and they took her to the vets.

It is understood she had been dead between 24 and 36 hours before being found.

Vets say the dog had been hit over the head by a human with a blunt object – but they found no other signs of abuse.

RSPCA officers are now investigating the dog’s death.

Vicki Hudson, 52, founder of The Missing Paw Team, said: ‘You couldn’t argue it was a road traffic accident because there would’ve been other signs, such as scuff marks on the paws and legs, which there wasn’t.

‘She looked in near-perfect condition otherwise. She was a little underweight, but not anything significant. She still had plenty of fat tissue and I couldn’t feel her ribs. And her nails were in good condition.

‘For all intents and purposes, she looked like a healthy dog.’

Vicki believes she was abandoned because of new government legislation which will ban XL bully types in England and Wales from February 1.

It will be illegal to own one without a certificate of exemption and owners must comply with having them neutered and having third-party liability insurance – at a cost of £92.40 by January 31.

Vicki said: ‘Post-Christmas, a lot of people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

‘But there’s never an excuse for doing something like this.

‘There are vets that are offering cheaper neutering schemes and there are ways of meeting the £92.40 fee.’

Vicki believes this problem will get worse as the transition period approaches.

She added: ‘This ban is not going to stop the attacks. We saw it with Pit Bulls, we see it now. The government is under pressure to do something but it won’t work.

‘Harsher sentences and harsher fines will make sure that the attacks will be only licensed breeders.

‘She’s wasn’t yet big enough to need to be exempt and probably wouldn’t have been for a while.

‘The ban is also based on certain characteristics – such as scissor teeth, muscularity and a blocky head – and I couldn’t seen any of those on her yet..’

The RSPCA is urging anyone with CCTV or relevant information to come forward.

A spokesperson for the charity said: ‘This is a distressing and upsetting incident. We urge anyone who has any information to contact police on 101 or call our appeals line on 0300 123 8018, quoting reference 01210692.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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