Dog Can't Give Pony Best Friends Kisses After Being Muzzled—'Heartbreaking'

A British dog owner has shared the reality of a dog breed ban that has affected her pet's life.

Kimberley Crosby, 43, has recently gone viral on TikTok after sharing a clip of her dog Zilpah, an American Bully dog, wearing a muzzle while waiting for his pony friend. Usually, the unlikely duo would share kisses but the compulsory mouth guard no longer makes it possible.

At the end of December last year, XL Bully dogs were added to the U.K. government's banned breed list under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. It will be a criminal offense to own a dog like Zilpah from February 1 unless they have a Certificate of Exemption.

Crosby told Newsweek that Zilpah's life has been impacted by the new requirement to wear a muzzle when out of the house.

On January 10, a video of Zilpah racked up over 386,000 views and 13,300 likes.

The clip caption explained: "Such a sad video the ponies he once smothered with love and kisses, were nervous of Zilpah's muzzle. No more spreading his [love] to them this is heartbreaking. These have been best friends for nearly two years and always groomed each other."

The breed ban comes after multiple fatalities were caused by the dogs, including a toddler who was mauled by an "out of control dog."

Crosby, from County Durham, told Newsweek: "The loss of human lives is devastating, and banning a breed alone won't solve the issue of dog attacks. This knee-jerk reaction by the government fails to address the root cause of the problem—irresponsible owners.

"The government needs to crack down on unscrupulous breeders who disregard the well-being of the dogs and who they sell them to, solely for the sake of profit. Dogs should not be treated as mere accessories and discarded or abused.

"We are supposed to be a nation of animal lovers, yet there are countless cases of animal abuse and abandonment that must be stopped."

While the breed has a bad reputation, Crosby told Newsweek that her dog is liked by many—humans and animals alike.

She said: "Everyone who meets Zilpah falls in love with him because of his loving and kind nature."

Over the past two years, the dog has struck up an unlikely friendship with a miniature Shetland pony, who can be seen in the video.

Usually, the pair share special moments together, but on this occasion, the pony called Mac, and his horse companion just stared blankly at Zilpah.

"Zilpah and Mac, share an amazing bond as they have grown up together.

"During our daily walks, we visit the ponies, and as soon as they see Zilpah, they come trotting over to greet him.

"Zilpah patiently waits for them and loves to share kisses with Mac. In return, Mac grooms him, although he can sometimes get a bit rough with his typical stallion behavior. However, Zilpah is always patient and gentle with him," said Crosby.

Speaking about their recent interaction, she said: "The ponies were confused and hesitant to come over when they first encountered him with his muzzle on.

"Unfortunately, Zilpah is now unable to spread his loving kisses to the ponies."

So far, the viral video has almost 1,000 comments.

One user said: "Heartbreaking—his little friends who he clearly loves. [You're] such a good owner [though]. Well done for keeping your baby safe."

"As heartbreaking as this is, you've done amazing job off making your bully still look friendly. Loving the pink," said another.

Crosby responded: "I wanted him to still look like the big friendly giant that he is in pink."

Newsweek previously reported that U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the American XL bully breed "a danger to our communities" and especially children. The breed has been responsible for more half of U.K. dog attacks between 2021 and 2023.

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