Mum, 41, mauled to death by ‘XL Bully’ in flat named and pictured for first time

A mum who died after being reportedly mauled by an XL bully in a flat in Aberdeen has been named and pictured.

Michelle McLeod, 41, was pronounced dead at a flat in Foresterhill Road around 11.15pm Saturday.

The dog – an XL Bully named Bailey, according to The Press and Journal – has been euthanised.

Michelle’s family released a statement today paying tribute, saying: ‘She was a much-loved mother, daughter and friend to many and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

‘We would like to ask that our privacy is respected and allow us to grieve at this very difficult time.’

According to the Office for National Statistics, 16 people were killed in dog attacks in 2023.

This is a sharp rise from preceding years when the number had been in single figures. In 2021, out of four fatal dog attacks, the American XL Bully was responsible for two deaths, according to the advocacy group Bully Watch UK.

The relatively new but popular dog breed has been banned since January.

Under the law, the dogs must be muzzled in public, neutered and microchipped. Breeding, selling, advertising, exchanging, abandoning, gifting, rehoming, or allowing XL Bully dogs to stray is illegal.

The XL Bully is a mix of pit bulls, other terriers and bulldogs. They can weigh around 70kg and measure 23 inches from the ground to the shoulder.

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