Dogs Trust stops rehoming XL Bully-type dogs

On Monday (October 16), a six stone dog named Denvor attacked its owner, a woman in her 60s, in her back garden in Brisley, near Dereham, before the animal was hunted down and killed by police in the grounds of a primary school following an hour-long search. 

READ MORE: Owner's shock as XL Bully Denvor is killed in primary school after village rampage

Denvor, the XL Bully adopted from Dogs Trust (Image: Dogs Trust)

Denvor was adopted from the Dogs Trust at Snetterton on September 7, just days before the charity stopped rehoming XL Bullies after prime minister Rishi Sunak said the breed would be banned by the end of the year.

The charity has launched an investigation in response to the attack.

A Dogs Trust spokesperson said: "Following the government’s announcement, we immediately stopped promoting any dogs that we thought could fall under the ban.

"In light of the proposed ban, we do not expect to rehome XL Bullies anytime in the future."

The victim's husband and Denvor's other owner, who asked not to be named, said they were given "no indication from Dogs Trust that he had previously showed any signs of aggression".

"I trusted Dogs Trust's opinion to give us a dog which had been vetted and would be right to come into our home", he said. 

Denvor was rescued by the charity from a pound in Liverpool.

Police were called to a house in Gateley Road after someone at allotments nearby heard the owner screaming. 

The dog came off its lead and got out of the garden, making its way through a field to Brisley Church of England Primary School in School Road, where a member of the public managed to tie him to a post. 

Brisley Church of England Primary School, in School Road, where Denvor got into the grounds and was eventually destroyed by police (Image: Newsquest)

 The victim required reconstructive surgery for her injuries, which were not life-threatening, at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.