BANNED PIT
BANNED “devil dogs” are being offered for sale in a sick video on social media site Tiktok.
Driving instructor Ghulam Aziz shows off how aggressive his two illegal American pit bull terriers are before trying to sell a puppy to viewers.
The killer breed has been banned in the UK for more than 30 years under the Dangerous Dogs Act after the deaths of 15 people in horrific attacks in England and Wales.
The online video shows Aziz urging his two adult pets to perform.
It features a tan-coloured dog called Rocky Junior lunging towards the camera baring its teeth and growling. Another sees the same dog rewarded with strokes for biting a man’s arm.
The post is captioned: “Pup for sale – direct message if interested.” The clip shows the puppy being held up to the camera. We later discovered Aziz wanted more than £1,000 for the pup and indicated there could be more. He texted: “Hey mate, they £1,200.”
Tougher
Dog expert witness Jeffrey Turner, who assesses dogs and identifies banned breeds for police and courts, watched the video and told us: “I can confirm that the adults and the pup are pit bulls.” The clips are a stark contrast from the respectable image presented by Aziz, 46, for would-be driving school pupils in Epping Forest, Essex.
A plug for lessons describes him as “reliable, punctual and dedicated”.
A Labour MP campaigning for tougher dangerous dogs laws called our findings “disgraceful”.
Wayne David, who represents Caerphilly in South Wales, added: “It is very important the police take the strongest possible action against those who are engaged in criminal activity. Dangerous dogs are a huge problem in our country and this is a major aspect of that.”
He has said the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 is totally inadequate and there should be an emphasis on proper training of dogs, appropriate breeding and a proper examination of licensing or registration of all dogs.
Victims include 10year-old Jack Lis, who was killed by an 8st American bully XL in Mr David’s constituency. The breed is closely related to pit bulls. The number of dog attacks reported to police in England and Wales has soared nearly 50% in the last five years. The West Midlands alone saw attacks rise by 73%. Essex had 4,425 incidents over the same period.
The startling figures are mirrored in numbers turning up at hospital for treatment to bites. NHS figures reveal A&E departments had around 30 patients a day with dog-inflicted injuries between April and November last year. In 2022 alone doctors operated on more than 1,000 children
with severe bite wounds – nearly 40% being under school age.
In February, Alice Stones, four, became the latest child to be killed by a dog. She was mauled by a pit bull cross in the garden of her home in Milton Keynes, Bucks, in February.
The RSPCA’S Dr Samantha Gaines said she was alarmed by our findings and warned anyone defying the law will face “serious” consequences. She said: “Any dog which is classified as being a banned type is illegal to own unless they are given an exemption and if a court decides the dog is not safe it will be destroyed. In some cases police may seek to bring criminal charges against the owner.”
Metropolitan Police data shows the UK’S biggest force seized 479 dogs deemed out of control last year – up from 333 in 2021.
A Tiktok source said it does not allow the trade of illegal animals. When approached for comment, Aziz said: “My seven-year-old daughter plays with the dog – so how can you say it’s a dangerous dog?” The Tiktok account was later removed.
It is very important police take the strongest possible action. Dangerous dogs are a huge problem in the UK