In a recent poll conducted among 2,000 adults across Great Britain from 25th – 26th July 2023, opinions were gathered on the banning of the American Bully breed, a breed closely related to the American Pit Bull Terrier.

Strong Public Consensus

Among the respondents, 57% supported the ban, 17% opposed, and 26% answered with “Don’t know.” This indicates a substantial consensus among those with a definite opinion.

Cross-Party Support

Support for the ban transcends political affiliations in the 2019 General Election:

• Conservative voters: 69% support, 11% oppose, 19% don’t know.
• Labour voters: 52% support, 16% oppose, 32% don’t know.
• Liberal Democrats voters: 55% support, 10% oppose, 34% don’t know.

Brexit Voters United

Brexit voting patterns also have little bearing on the issue, showing:

• Leave voters: 67% support, 14% oppose, 19% don’t know.
• Remain voters: 55% support, 15% oppose, 29% don’t know.

Gender, Age, and Socioeconomic Status

Support across genders includes 58% of males and 56% of females, with respective opposition at 14% and 20%, and don’t knows at 28% and 25%. The issue transcends age and social grades as well.

United Across Regions

Regional variations were minor, signaling a united front. England and Wales show strong support, while even in Scotland, where opinions were more diverse, a solid majority backed the ban. “Don’t know” responses varied across regions.

A Majority Among Dog Owners

Among dog owners, 50% endorsed the ban, reflecting concerns about this breed, with 24% opposing and 26% not sure.

Growing Alarm: A Fifth of Britons Feel Threatened by Dogs, Impacting Them and Their Families

Our recent survey exposes a disconcerting statistic: an astonishing one in five respondents, or 20%, reported that they or a family member have felt threatened by a dog in a public place within the last year. This extends to personal experiences of feeling threatened and instances where their child or another family member felt threatened.

A Ubiquitous Issue

The concern resonates widely across political boundaries:

• Conservative voters: 17% have experienced a threat.
• Labour voters: 24% have experienced a threat.
• Liberal Democrats voters: 23% have experienced a threat.

Brexit voting patterns seem to have no bearing on this widespread concern, with both Leave (17%) and Remain (24%) voters reporting comparable experiences.

Transcending Gender and Socioeconomic Barriers

This alarming issue permeates gender divides, with 19% of males and 20% of females acknowledging that they or a family member have felt threatened by a dog within the past year. The issue spans social grades as well, with both ABC1 (22%) and C2DE (15%) groups citing similar encounters.

A Nationwide Concern

This concern is prevalent across regions. Both England and Wales reported 19% of respondents or their family members feeling threatened, a figure that escalated to 27% in Scotland. Within England, London led the unsettling trend with 24% of its population feeling threatened, trailed by the North (18%), Rest of South (19%), and Midlands (16%).

Even Dog Owners Are Not Exempt

In a surprising revelation, the risk doesn’t spare even dog owners. About 17% of dog owners reported that they or a family member have felt threatened by a dog in a public place within the past year. This emphasises the severity of the problem and the pressing requirement to address it.

These findings indicate a serious public safety issue. With one in five people feeling threatened by dogs in public spaces, whether directly or through the experiences of a family member, the urgency to enhance dog control measures and possibly reassess related legislation is highlighted. The extensive backing for a ban on breeds like the American Bully suggests that Britons are calling for firm action. It’s evident that the demand for safer public spaces is not just a desire, but a widespread expectation.

You can find the full YouGov poll results here.