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Bully kuttas, also known as Pakistani mastiffs, are fighting dogs that can grow to the size of a small pony and weigh up to 95kg. Experts say they are gaining popularity after the XL Bully ban
Powerful fighting dogs from Asia are taking over from the banned XL Bully.
One woman savaged by a bully kutta – dubbed the beast of the east – called them “trophies for violent individuals”. She has called for a new clampdown on owners of dangerous dogs after being savaged.
Bully kuttas, also known as Pakistani mastiffs, are fighting dogs that can grow to the size of a small pony and weigh up to 95kg. Experts say they are gaining popularity after the XL bully ban, with dogs coming in “through the back door” from abroad.
Donna Ormerod, 62, says she was left with life-changing injuries when one clamped its jaws around her leg. She branded the breed “trophies for violent individuals”, and called for mandatory dog licences to prevent future attacks. Recalling the traumatic incident, the mum of two from Blackburn, Lancs, said: “It locked onto my leg and I could feel it biting deeper and deeper to the bone. It just wouldn’t let go of me. If it had been a child or an older person, it would have killed them.”
Donna’s wound required 84 stitches and two follow-up surgeries after it became infected. She added: “[After the attack] I wouldn’t go out of my house, I was too scared. I’ve never been frightened of dogs but now I cross the road if I see a big dog. I couldn’t sleep for a long time and I was having nightmares.” The owner of the dog was prosecuted and the animal was ordered to be destroyed.
The bully kutta is a large working dog from South Asia originally used for hunting, guarding and fighting. Footage shared online shows them straining on chains as they attack other dogs.
Unlike XL Bullys, which must hold an exemption certificate and be muzzled in public, the bully kutta has no restrictions. There are no official figures showing how many are in the UK. It is not a breed recognised by the Kennel Club and many insurers will not cover them.
We have found a string of puppies available here. One ad on popular adoption site Pets4Homes features five pups at £1,200 each. The dogs, in Huddersfield, West Yorks, are described as the “purest and highest quality BK [Bully Kutta] pups in Europe”. A separate ad on Facebook boasts: “[The] frame on this pup so far is insane! Will grow to be a machine with the correct conditioning.” And on FreeAds, the puppies are described as “brilliant pets and great guard dogs.”
Shaun Hesmondhalgh, a canine clinical behaviourist and specialist dangerous dog consultant, said: “In the wake of the ban on the American bully (XL), the emerging threat flying low under the radar is the bully kutta. It is highly questionable as to whether such a formidable type of dog could be classed as a family pet.
“This dog was historically created for an aggressive purpose. The bully kutta has the capacity and capability to cause serious harm if not expertly handled, managed, and supervised. This large powerful dog is not for the inexperienced, they can be intolerant of strangers and can pose a significant threat to other animals.”
The emergence of the bully kutta comes as dog attacks recorded in England and Wales soared by 21% in a year. Key culprits are the XL Bully and cane corso, a breed descended from war dogs of ancient Rome. The XL Bully ban came in just over a year ago but since then several people, including two owners, have died after attacks involving the breed.
Last month Jack Fincham was jailed after his cane corso, Elvis, bit a runner in Swanley, Kent, and grabbed a woman’s leg in Grays, Essex. The Love Island star, 32, admitted two counts of having a dangerously out of control dog and was sentenced to six weeks – but was released the same day when his lawyers appealed. In October, Gary Stevens, 55, from Derby, was jailed for four-and-a-half years after he admitted being in charge of a cane corso that killed his brother. The 50kg canine, called Ace, was Tasered by police before being destroyed.
But Rob Alleyne, who runs the Canine Instructor Academy in Suffolk, said singling breeds out was counter-productive. He said: “The bully kutta is capable of doing a lot of damage but the reality is, nobody has been killed by one in the UK but people have been killed by German shepherds. It’s not about the dog, it’s about the person who has it. If the wrong people get their hands on a bully kutta or any other dog, they could make it very aggressive.”
Pets4Homes said it “adheres to all official guidelines on which animals might be advertised for rehoming, and this breed is legal to own in the UK. Should guidelines change, then we will change our listing policies.”
