XL Bully dog which mauled mother-of-two, 43, to death ‘turned mad in the heat’

A mother-of-two was mauled to death by her pet American Bully XL dog after it ‘turned mad in the extreme heat’.

Joanne Robinson, 43, died at the scene of the attack at a house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Friday night. 

She is understood to have been the owner of the animal, called Rocco, which is on the legal dog breeds list and attacked her at around 10pm. 

Her partner, Jamie Stead, 42, was left with injuries to his hands, stomach and face as he tried to saved her and pull the animal off her.

Joanne’s mother, Dotty Robinson, said the family are in ‘disbelief and shock’ over her death and believed the weather may have affected the animals.

She said Joanne had two XL Bully dogs – Rocco who was nearly two, and Lola.

She said the pets were well behaved and ‘not dangerous’, but added: ‘I don’t know why they suddenly snapped. I can only think they turned mad in the extreme heat. It must have set them off.

Joanne is understood to have been the owner of the animal, called Rocco (pictured), which is on the legal dog breeds list and attacked her at around 10pm 

Joanne’s partner also suffered life-changing injuries after the dog attack, police have said. Pictured: South Yorkshire Police officers were on scene on Saturday morning

Joanne Robinson (pictured), 43, was killed by her American Bully XL dog at her home in Rotherham on Friday night

Dozens of flowers have already been laid at the scene of the attack

Bouquets were left outside the house with messages such as ‘We love you!’ showing the outpouring of grief for Joanne

Photos from the scene show the woman appeared to be locally known and loved, which was confirmed by her family

‘Rocco’s a big dog, he’s bigger than a lion. He was like a small horse.’

She told The Sun that Rocco and Lola, have been destroyed. 

Dotty added of Jamie: ‘He’s hoping to come home from hospital today but he is still in much pain.

‘He knows Joanna has gone and is absolutely devastated as we all are. We will miss her so much.

‘He’s had a horrible ordeal.

He’s lost his partner of twenty years and his dogs.’

Ms Robinson’s son Dillon, penned a heartbreaking tribute to his mother on Facebook today. 

Floral tributes have been placed on metal railings outside the house while neighbours have spoken of their shock and horror

The gate at the property had a ‘Beware of the dogs’ sign that continued: ‘They bite you have been warned’

The police took away two dogs. One man, who said he was the couple’s son, said, ‘I can assure you that the dogs were treated well’. Pictured: A floral tribute and card left for Joanne on Sunday

He wrote: ‘If you want to share anything about my mum please feel free to share this. Let’s remember her how she was the crazy, caring loving mum, daughter, friend, sister, auntie, Nannan.

‘My mum was more than a mum, she was my best friend. She was the most caring person and would do anything for anybody. 

‘She was the best Nannan to my kids and I’m honestly heartbroken she will never get to meet the third one on the way.’

Since Ms Robinson’s death, dozens of floral tributes have been left at the scene on Masefield Road.

One message said: ‘To our beautiful angel up above. You will never be forgotten. Love you always.’One neighbour described Joanne as a ‘lovely lady’ and a loving mum of two. Another said: ‘I’m devastated. She was a lovely lady. They are a lovely family.’

‘I can’t get over what’s happened’

Dillon Robinson added: ‘I would like the thank all the support from family and friends, everyone who has been to drop cards and flowers.

‘As a family are all hurting she was the life and sole at every party and will be missed by a lot of people. As of now my life has completely changed I can’t get over what’s happened but I know with the help from friends and family we will get there. We will keep her memory alive and make sure everyone knows who Joanne Robinson was.’

Floral tributes have been placed on metal railings outside the house while neighbours have spoken of their shock and horror.

One heart-breaking message read: ‘To our beautiful angel up above. You will never be forgotten. Love you always.’

Neighbour John Allerton, 69, a retired miner, said: ‘It’s really really tragic.’

Another friend said: ‘I’m devastated. She was a lovely lady. They are a lovely family.’

The police took away two dogs. One man, who said he was the couple’s son, said, ‘I can assure you that the dogs were treated well.’

There have been numerous incidents involving Bully XL dogs, with police confirming in march that Bella-Rae Birch, a 17-month-old girl, was killed by one in her own home. 

Police said the toddler was attacked at her family’s home in St Helens, Merseryside, a week after they bought the dog.  

It was also reported that a Bully XL mauled Welsh schoolboy Jack Lis to death in a savage attack last year.

Floral tributes have been left to the mother, with neighbours describing her as a ‘lovely lady’. 

South Yorkshire Police forensic officers at the scene of a fatal dog attack in Rotherham

Cards and flowers have gathered outside the home where the couple lived, including a note from her children Elle, 24 and Dillon, 19, which read: ‘Mum I love and miss you.’  

South Yorkshire Police says two dogs have been seized and removed from the property, and neither of these are on the banned breeds list. 

The force said neither are considered ‘banned breeds’ under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. 

A statement from the force said: ‘We were called to a property on Masefield Road in West Melton at about 10.15pm last night by a member of the public stating a dog had attacked himself and a woman.

‘Officers attended with a Yorkshire Ambulance [Service] crew and found a man, aged 42, with a potentially life-altering injury to one hand, plus injuries to his other hand, abdomen and face. He was transported to hospital for further treatment.

‘The woman, aged 43, had been fatally bitten and despite the best efforts of emergency crews was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene.

‘The dog, plus another dog at the property, were secured by specially trained officers.

‘Neither dog was of a banned breed.’

According to the UK Bully Kennel Club website, the American Bully XL is a large breed, with males standing between 51cm and above. 

The Club says: ‘In spite of its considerable size, the XL is highly prized for not only its impressive stature, but also its gentle personality and loving nature.

‘It is a recent breed, dating back to the 1980’s, and is regarded the distinctive build and height combined with a compassionate nature mean its popularity continues to grow.’

RSPCA is linking the the increase in Britons buying puppies during Covid to a surge in fatal dog attacks.

Reports from the Dog and Cat Behaviour Association show dog attacks increased by 54 per cent between 2020 and 2021.

It is illegal to own four breeds of dogs without an exemption from a court.

They are American pitbull terriers, Japanese tosas, Dog Argentinos and Fila Brazileiro.

The law also criminalises cross-breeds of the above four types of dog – meaning that whether a dog is prohibited will depend on a judgement about its physical characteristics, and whether they match the description of a prohibited ‘type’.

Third death involving Bully XL dog breed 

Bella-Rae Birch, pictured, was mauled to death by an American Bully dog which had been recently bought by her father Ryan 

Ms Robinson’s death on Thursday was the third involving a Bully XL dog in the space of two years. 

In March this year Bella-Rae Birch, a 17-month-old girl, was killed by a dog of the same breed. 

The toddler had been attacked in her family’s home in St Helens, Merseyside, just a week after they bought the animal. 

The dog had been bought by her father ‘for buttons’ just one week earlier and was ‘humanely destroyed’ following the shocking attack, Merseyside Police said.

Police and the ambulance service had been called to the home at 3.49pm after a report that a child had been ‘seriously injured.’

Despite medical treatment, Bella-Rae was declared dead at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital at 4.45pm the same day.

A post-mortem examination ruled the cause of death as ‘head trauma.’

Tests confirmed that the animal involved was an American Bully XL.

Jack Lis, 10, was mauled to death by the killer XL Bully dog that weighed a ‘muscular’ 96.5lbs. His mother is now demanding that sentences of the dog’s owners should be longer 

Last year Welsh schoolboy Jack Lis was also killed in a savage attack by a Bully XL. 

The 10-year-old boy was playing at a friend’s house in Caerphilly in November last year when he was set upon by the dog.

The animal, which was called ‘Beast’, had been bought by its owner less than a week before the attack.

Amy Salter, 29, and Brandon Hayden, 19, were in charge of the raging animal when it launched an attack on schoolboy Jack in Caerphilly, South Wales.

Hayden was jailed for four years and six months while Salter was handed three years at Cardiff Crown Court.