XL Bully: Two women in hospital after being attacked by a dog suspected to be one of the breed

Two women have been taken to hospital after being attacked by a dog which is suspected to be an XL bully.

Emergency services were called to an address in Baker Crescent, Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, after reports of a dog attack inside just after 11.40am on Thursday (12 October), Staffordshire Police said. Officers contained the dog at the scene. The dog will now be put down.

Police are appealing for information about the incident, and anyone who can help has been asked to call the police on 101, quoting reference 215 of October 12.

The attack comes as the Government looks to ban American XL bullies in response to a series of maulings, some of which have been deadly. In recent weeks, a man in southeast London, had to be taken to hospital after being injured by a dog thought to be one of the breed, a man was arrested in Birmingham on suspicion of possessing a "dangerously out of control" dog after a young girl was injured in an attack by an an American XL bully and Staffordshire bull terrier cross.

In additon, a court has ordered the destruction of two XL Bullies under the Dangerous Dogs act after a woman was injured in Sheffield by the animals and in Norwich an XL Bully-type dog killed a cat in the cat owner's front garden.

XL Bully dogs are also believed to be responsible for fatal attacks on humans. Earlier this month, a man was arrested on suspicion of murder following death of another man after a dog attack in Sunderland. Last month, a man died in Staffordshire while trying to defend his elderly mother from a pair of American XL Bully dogs.