American Bully XL

Bella-Rae Birch, aged 17 months, was tragically killed by her family's new pet dog at her home in St Helen's, Merseyside on Monday, and police have now ...

He added: "At this stage we understand that the family dog they'd bought just a week earlier has attacked Bella-Rae inside the family home. Officers were called to attend a house here on Bidston Avenue, at around 3.50pm yesterday. " Thank you everyone." In a police press statement made close to the scene on Tuesday, Superintendent Steve Brizell said: "The community of Blackbrook and the whole of Merseyside has woken up today to the most tragic news. The dog, which the family bought just a week before the attack, has now been confirmed to have been an American Bully XL, a legal breed not subject to any prohibitions under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Bella-Rae Birch, who was 17 months old, died after the attack by her family dog at their home in St Helens.

The United Kennel Club says of Pitbull Terriers: “The essential characteristics of the Pitbull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. However, the breed can be trained to fight and be aggressive. They are highly adaptable and trainable, often acting as lap dogs in the home. They are primarily used for hunting. Pitbull Terriers were banned in the UK in 1991 following a series of incidents involving the breed. A neighbour told BBC News: “We pulled up from school and heard screaming.

Bella-Rae Birch was mauled to death at her home in St Helen's Merseyside on Monday by a dog which had recently been bought by her father Ryan from a friend ...

Another neighbour Linda Burchill said she saw the dog being taken away by police. It looked fully grown and not like a puppy.’ We are now in a position where we need to raise funds towards the most beautiful send off. I couldn’t tell what breed it was but from the back it looked like a Staffordshire bull terrier or pit bull. Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she got home from the shops at about 4.30pm, when the area was busy with police. In a statement on GoFundMe, Miss Bates said: ‘On the 21st of March we sadly lost our gorgeous blue eyed baby girl, who was just one year of age, in a tragic sudden accident. He’s still in shock and won’t speak.’ A force spokesman previously confirmed they are also trying to establish the dog’s previous owners. My dad ran over and tried to perform CPR, he’s really devastated. The brother of the little girl is in my boy’s class at school. Locals described the child’s mother Treysharn Bates ‘crying hysterically’ outside the property before emergency services rushed Bella-Rae to hospital, where she tragically died of her wounds. If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with 'malicious wounding'.

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Merseyside Police said tests showed the dog, which the family had bought just a week earlier, was an American bully XL. A dog which killed a 17-month-old girl in an attack was not a banned breed, police have said. St Helens' dog attack: Police confirm dog that attacked toddler Bella-Rae Birch was an American bully XL and not a banned breed

Merseyside Police said tests showed the dog that killed toddler Bella-Rae Birch on Monday, March 22 was an American bully XL.

The act affects all dog owners – as under the law it is illegal for a dog to be ‘out of control’ or to bite or attack someone. ‘Whilst we are in the very early stages of the investigation into this extremely tragic incident we can confirm that the dog was only bought by the family a week ago and officers are working to identify the previous owners of the dog concerned and establish its history.’ The force said the breed was legal and not subject to any prohibitions under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

The baby girl was mauled by the animal at her home at around 3.50pm on Monday.

He added: "At this stage we understand that the family dog they'd bought just a week earlier has attacked Bella-Rae inside the family home. We would ask that we are now allowed some space and time to try and come to terms with the tragic loss of our much-loved Bella-Rae. She will be sadly missed but never forgotten." The baby girl was mauled by the animal at her home at around 3.50pm on Monday, March 21.

POLICE have confirmed that the dog that was involved in the tragic death of Bella-Rae Birch was an American Bully XL.

"We are now in a position where we need to raise funds towards the most beautiful send-off. POLICE have confirmed that the dog that was involved in the tragic death of Bella-Rae Birch was an American Bully XL. Tests have now concluded that the dog involved was an American Bully XL, a legal breed not subject to any prohibitions.