Love Island’s Jack Fincham has been sentenced to six weeks in jail after his Cane Corso, a breed likened to “battle tanks” by experts, attacked a man.
He is also ordered to pay £3,580 in court costs, including £250 compensation to two victims, following incidents where his dog Elvis bit people.
Cane Corsos, which can weigh up to eight stone and reach 28 inches in height, have gained popularity with celebrities like Fincham and Marcus Rashford owning them, reports the Express.
Many of these dogs are imported from Romania, where ear cropping and tail docking are common practices, despite being illegal in the UK. Unlike XL bullies, Cane Corsos face no similar restrictions and are legal in Britain.
However, dog expert Garret Wing took to social media to caution against the Italian mastiff breed, labelling it as the “number one dog breed we do not recommend for families”.
He highlighted their size, stating: “That is too much dog for about 99.9 per cent of folks. And that’s coming from us, not only as professional dog trainers, but owners of the Cane Corso. They are absolute battle tanks and you don’t need that in your suburban neighbourhood.”
Fellow professional dog trainer Will Atherton expressed his love for Cane Corsos but echoed Wing’s warning to parents.
“I love mastiff breeds,” he expressed. “They are definitely not suitable for first-time owners or many families, like the Labrador is, but they do provide a really unique bond and relationship, and guarding skills that I love.”
Top-tier footballers such as Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker have invested in guard dogs. Marcus Rashford even flaunted his Cane Corso on Instagram, who he called The Saint, back in 2018, which may have set him back up to £25,000.
Rob Alleyne from the Canine Instructor Academy in Suffolk, urged caution when purchasing these breeds similar to what Fincham did in 2021.
He told The Times: “The Cane Corso is like an XL Bully on steroids. It’s a killing machine and they’ve become much more popular now.”
Offering a grave warning, he added: “We saw it happen with the Pit Bull Terrier. When they banned the Pit Bull Terrier, what did we get? We got a dog far more dangerous than the Pit Bull Terrier. They just made a new one worse than the preceding one: the XL bully.”
According to the Pets4Homes website at the time of this report, there were just over 200 of the dogs listed for sale – some fetching prices as high as £2,000.
The lowest-priced dog was being sold for £500, described as having a “house trained gentle loving nature. She’s wonderful with the children – newborn to 15 years old.”
However, behavioural experts contend they might pose a risk to the public and consider them potential descendants of the ancient Molossian war dogs.
The American Kennel Club, however, describes them as “loyal and intelligent” but is cautious about their suitability for families, stating on their website: “Cane Corsos may not be a good fit for all families.
“Due to the breed’s size, they aren’t the best choice for families with small children. A Cane Corso would fare best with experienced dog owners who truly understand the breed and their need for ongoing socialization.”
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