A man in his 40s was taken to hospital on Friday evening after being bitten on the arm by a dog, believed to be an American bully XL, in Pasley Park, Walworth. The Metropolitan Police said the attack occurred just after 18:00 BST, and the owner fled the scene with the grey dog before officers arrived.
Lawyer and writer Ness Lyons, who witnessed the incident, posted on X that the dog "jumped a fence" and attacked the man, who was bitten badly in several places including his abdomen. She described the scene as "horrifying" and noted that it took an hour for police and ambulance to arrive.
Some local residents expressed fear of the breed, with one unnamed man telling BBC London that he walks on the other side of the street when he sees an American bully XL. However, another park-goer argued that the issue lies with owners, not the dogs themselves.
The attack comes amid ongoing protests against the government's plan to ban American XL bully dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act by the end of the year. On Saturday, owners walked through central London with placards reading "don't bully our bullies" and chanted "save our bullies".
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has ordered urgent work to define and ban the breed, with potential requirements for neutering and muzzling in public. However, the Dog Control Coalition, including the RSPCA and Battersea Dogs Home, argues that banning specific breeds is not the solution, pointing to irresponsible breeding and ownership.
Police confirmed that no arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing. The victim's condition has not been disclosed.
