North East XL Bully dogs for sale for as little as £250

The dogs, which can cost as much as £5,000, have been listed for just hundreds of pounds as a ban is set to be imposed by the end of the year.

A rush to sell the breed has been reported on selling sites across the country, including ‘Pets4Homes’ and 'Gumtree'.

Read more: Community in mourning at vigil for Ian Langley after XL Bully attack

The Independent reports that hundreds of the dogs have been advertised for sale online since the ban was proposed by Rishi Sunak.

It comes after a spate of incidents involving the breed including fatal attacks.

Last Tuesday (October 3) Ian Langley was mauled to death by an XL Bully in Shiney Row, near Sunderland.

And over the weekend two men were left hospitalised in Middlesbrough after an attack by two dogs, including an XL Bully.

The cheapest listing in the region, on ‘Pets4Homes’, is for a nine-month-old Bully in South Shields being sold for £200. The listing says she is “great with dogs and kids”.

The dog, along with many others selling cheap are looking for new homes.

While some American Bully pups are being sold for just £350 in County Durham and Middlesbrough.

On 'Gumtree' XL Bullies are listed from £600. One 18-month-old is described as “a beautiful beasty” who is being sold because her owners “just don’t have the time and effort to train her, as [they] have disabled daughters.”

The Prime Minister’s ban is expected to be implemented by the end of 2023 and has been widely backed by cross-party politicians.

In a BBC local radio interview, he described the breed as “a danger to our communities”.

Read next:

• Government XL bully ban is 'devastating' says North East dog trainers
• Floral tributes left for dad who died in horror 'XL Bully' attack
• 'Absolute chaos': Shocked residents speak out on fatal North East 'XL Bully' attack

Get more from The Northern Echo with a Premium Plus digital subscription from as little as only £1.50 a week. Click here.

Existing owners of American XL bullies will not face a cull after the ban, according to promises from the Prime Minister.

Downing Street states that measures will be enacted to deal with the current population of these dogs, possibly including mandatory neutering and muzzling of dogs in public, as advised by the Government’s chief vet.

The details of how the Government plans to "safely manage the existing population of these dogs" will be considered in an upcoming consultation, according to the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson.