Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace, the 47-year-old former Big Brother star, has spoken out after being attacked by a Standard Bully dog at a friend's baby shower, leaving her with lifelong scars and deep wounds near her neck. She says the physical injuries have been compounded by relentless victim-blaming from strangers on social media.
Attack Details and Injuries
The incident occurred when Horgan-Wallace approached the dog, which was tethered to a sofa in a hot room while guests enjoyed the party outside. She sat down calmly, but as she turned to leave, the dog bit her high on the shoulder near her collarbone. 'I heard my bone crunch. I'll never forget that sound,' she told The Sun. Despite the severity, she initially tried to avoid ruining the party, but blood poured down her arm, prompting screams and a rush to hospital.
Doctors decided not to stitch the wounds immediately due to high infection risk from dog bites. She spent several days with 'two gaping holes' in her shoulder while receiving antibiotics, a tetanus injection, and later stitches.
Online Abuse and Victim-Blaming
Horgan-Wallace says the attack was followed by a wave of online abuse. 'The amount of victim-blaming has been diabolical,' she said. 'People were saying the dog should have bitten me closer to the neck or that if they were the dog they would have done the same thing.' She admitted dreading picking up her phone each morning, but her boyfriend reminded her, 'You're the victim here,' which changed her mindset.
Call for Stricter Regulations
Rather than blaming the dog, Horgan-Wallace believes irresponsible ownership is the real issue. 'These dogs are incredibly powerful. People should have to complete training before they're allowed to own one,' she said. She also noted the dog's welfare: 'That poor dog was tied up in a boiling hot room. Something clearly wasn't right.'
XL Bully Ban Context
Since February 2024, owning an XL Bully dog in England and Wales without a Certificate of Exemption is a criminal offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. Between 2023 and 2024, NHS England recorded almost 11,000 hospital admissions for dog bites in England, with 600 in Wales and over 1,100 in Scotland. Fatalities involving the breed have fallen since the ban: 10 in 2024 and four in 2025, yet attacks still occur.
Emotional Aftermath
Horgan-Wallace says she already feels PTSD. 'I used to be completely comfortable around dogs of any size. Now I'm frightened,' she admitted. She never publicly identified the dog's owner and even offered to contribute towards behavioural training, but the situation escalated after online abuse led to police involvement.
She posted on Instagram Stories about the attack, showing her bandaged wound and stating, 'I've been bitten by an XL BULLY!!!!!' She later said she's 'thankful' the bite wasn't on her face or neck and 'glad' the victim wasn't a child, but added, 'Sad I'm scarred for life.'
