Big Brother star Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace has been left permanently scarred after an XL Bully dog attacked her without provocation, requiring urgent hospital care. The 47-year-old reality TV personality, who rose to fame on Big Brother in 2006, shared her ordeal on Instagram Stories on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
Attack Details and Hospitalisation
Horgan-Wallace posted a photo of herself looking distressed in a hospital setting, supported by a companion. She wrote: "I've been bitten by an XL Bully! ! !! ! You can see my f bone thank god fro my girl." In a subsequent image, she posed with the dog moments before the attack, captioning it: "The few mins before he bit me... everyone knows I'm a dog mummy. I love dogs. This dog loved me... then in a split second for no reason he didn't."
She urged caution around the breed, stating: "Please please please understand how to raise and how these babies can switch. I'm in agony and scared for life now." Expressing relief that no children were harmed, she added: "Thankful it wasn't my neck or face. Sad I'm scarred for life. Glad it wasn't a child and it was me... So conflicted... Dogs are pact animals they need u to be their leader. It makes them feel safe to know you are in control."
XL Bully Legislation in the UK
XL Bully dogs, characterised by their substantial muscular build, are banned in the UK under the Dangerous Dogs Act. In December 2023, it became illegal to breed, sell, abandon, or distribute the breed in England and Wales. Owning an unregistered XL Bully became illegal in February 2024. Similar regulations took effect in Scotland in February 2024, while Northern Ireland required muzzles and leads in public from July 2024.
Between 2021 and 2023, half of all fatal dog incidents in the UK were attributed to XL Bullies. In 2024, a woman was killed by her two registered XL Bullies in Hornchurch, east London, and David Daintree was fatally attacked by his pet at his Lancashire home. In the first year of legislation, approximately 800 animals were destroyed by police forces in England and Wales, with an additional 400 voluntarily put to sleep through a government compensation scheme.
RSPCA Criticism of Breed-Specific Legislation
The RSPCA has criticised the ban, stating: "We've been campaigning for many years against the Dangerous Dogs Act and Breed Specific legislation, which bans dogs simply because of how they look, and we are deeply concerned about the addition of another dog to the list of banned breeds." The charity added: "We are part of the Dog Control Coalition and all of us in the sector believe that this ban will not effectively protect the public. Despite this change in law, we will continue to campaign for more effective dog control in the UK, which focuses on prevention and early intervention, regardless of breed."
