Man in Rotterdam killed in attack by two American bully XL dogs inside his home
A man died in Rotterdam after being mauled by two dogs inside his home, police said Sunday. Officers shot at one of the animals to reach the victim, but attempts to resuscitate him failed.
Both dogs, identified as American bully XLs, were later put down in the garden, according to police. The animals attacked the man when he tried to separate them during a fight, his daughter told AD.
“They were wild, fighting dogs he tried to pull apart,” she said. The dogs were about nine months old. One belonged to the man himself, while the other was his granddaughter’s, she added.
The daughter described her father as widely loved in his community. “He was a very kind father. A man who got along with everyone. When my mother passed away, the entire street looked after him. That says a lot about how cherished he was here.”
The police said in a statement on X that they were unable to provide details beyond what was shared late Saturday night and do not expect to release additional information soon.
The American bully XL breed was placed on the Netherlands’ official list of high-risk dogs in 2017. In recent years, the United Kingdom introduced strict rules for ownership and breeding of the dogs following several fatal biting incidents.
