Venue allowed unmuzzled XL bullies at family show

A venue risked public safety when it allowed unmuzzled XL bullies at a dog show aimed at families, said police.

The Hangar in Wolverhampton was accused by the West Midlands force of "blatantly disregarding" people's welfare during the Best of Bullies event last summer, which took place months after new laws were introduced for the breed to be muzzled in public.

Seeking a review of the venue's licence, police said in papers going before the city council they had "serious concerns", stating organisers "ignored stricter laws and allowed the banned and dangerous dogs to be unmuzzled" near children.

The BBC has contacted The Hangar for comment.

A council licensing committee is to review the matter on 16 January, and potentially the licence could be revoked.

The venue has previously had its licence reviewed over other issues including late-night brawls.

West Midlands Police said the dog show "had the prohibited breed of XL bullies in attendance, and as per the highly publicised legislation there are strict rules governing these dogs, particularly while in public".

It added: "Even more concerning, there were unmuzzled XL bullies in close proximity to young children.

"There are serious concerns regarding this premises' ability to protect the public, and the failure to sufficiently inform police licensing of the events they choose to hold, so that sufficient risk assessments can be made and mitigation implemented."

In a letter to the council, legal representative for The Hangar, Savannah Courtenay, "strongly objected" to the review, saying it would be "improper" as the dog shows did not fall "within the scope of licensable activities" and were outside "the [council's] remit".

"Our primary position remains that the dog show in question is not a licensable activity and, as such, should not be considered under this review," the letter said.

• How does the XL bully ban work?

Laws around XL bullies were introduced last February following a rise in attacks and deaths.

They were added to the list of banned dogs, making it a criminal offence to own them without an exemption certificate. Even those kept legally must be muzzled and on a lead in public places at all times.

The council's licensing department said the evidence showed "both the licence holder and premises supervisor were aware of their licensing conditions and this is a repeated and blatant disregard for public safety by them and the management".