On Friday, September 15, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a public pledge to ban the American XL Bully canine breed within the UK.
It adopted a sequence of assaults that have been put right down to the breed, with new knowledge claiming the XL Bully is the breed concerned in essentially the most canine assaults.
Soon after the Dog Control Coalition, made up of the RSPCA, Blue Cross, Battersea, Dogs Trust, Hope Rescue, Scottish SPCA, The Kennel Club and BVA advocated in opposition to the ban, stating: “Banning the breed will sadly not cease some of these incidents recurring.”
They urged the federal government to as an alternative take motion in opposition to unscrupulous breeding and irresponsible homeowners.
READ MORE: ‘They’re gentle giants!’ American XL Bully owners defend pets as they face new ban
Now a month down the road, a handful of canine rehoming centres throughout the UK are refusing to soak up XL Bully dogs for rehoming.
Amongst them is Dogs Trust Newbury and Dogs Trust Harefield.
A spokesperson from Dogs Trust Newbury added: “Until the government has issued further guidance, we are not currently re-homing any dogs that we think could be typed as XL Bully type dogs.”
The rehoming centre in Newbury has urged XL Bully homeowners to “keep calm and never panic” as the federal government make their resolution on what’s going to occur within the transition interval into the ban taking maintain.
Callers to the centre have reportedly risen concerning American Bully XL-type dogs because the ban was introduced – many from homeowners in search of readability on the ban and others from these desirous to rehome their XL Bully in mild of the ban.
Dogs Trust continues to help homeowners with behavioural help and can quickly be introducing specialist muzzle coaching periods.
Meanwhile, Dogs Trust Harefield stated: “Following the federal government’s announcement, we instantly stopped selling any dogs that we thought may fall beneath the ban and we don’t count on to rehome XL Bullies anytime sooner or later.”
However, Battersea Old Windsor says they’re persevering with to soak up XL Bully-type dogs and can rehome them to totally knowledgeable households.
A Battersea spokesperson stated: “At Battersea, we intention to assist any canine that wants us, no matter age, breed, or medical situation.
“On arrival to our centres, each canine undergoes an intensive medical and behavioural evaluation earlier than our skilled rehoming workforce can begin the method of matching them to a loving new home.
“Following the Government’s announcement that the American Bully XL sort might be banned on a yet-to-be-disclosed date, we’re guaranteeing that any potential homeowners are conscious {that a} particular canine they’re fascinated with could also be outlined as a banned breed sort when the legislation adjustments.
“Before anybody makes the choice to undertake one among these dogs, we be sure that they totally perceive the implications a ban may have, akin to being required to undergo the authorized exemption course of.”