We hear from an XL bully proprietor and a lady whose cocker spaniel was fatally attacked
Author: Rosanna Robins Published 25 minutes in the past
From immediately XL bully dogs are unlawful to personal in West Yorkshire except the proprietor has an exemption certificates or can show they’ve utilized for one.
The deadline to use was noon yesterday, with homeowners having to fulfil a list of criteria like getting their canine neutered and having third celebration legal responsibility insurance coverage.
The authorities stated the ban was launched in response to a ‘concerning rise’ in assaults and deaths involving the dogs.
But teams together with the RSPCA have stated the measures are “not the reply” and warned rescue centres and vets can be unable to deal with a possible surge in demand.
Stacey from Leeds has owned her XL bully Olive for 2 years and instructed us the impression of the brand new guidelines on accountable homeowners has been ‘heartbreaking’.
“You can ask anybody that knows us, it’s me and Olive,” she says.
“We are together pretty much together 24/7. I know people will say I’m biased because it’s my dog but she’s just the softest, sweetest girl ever.
“She’s just cuddly, she gets in bed with me. I have my little niece who comes to stay most weekends and they’ve grown up together and are the best of friends.
“In all the time I’ve had her I’ve never seen any sign of any aggression.”
She reveals us the muzzle she’s had to purchase as a part of the brand new guidelines, which require XL bullies to put on one whereas out in public.
Getting Olive into the muzzle takes numerous time and cheese bribes and as soon as she’s in it, she drags her face alongside the ground to attempt to get it off. While out walking Stacey says Olive now simply retains her head down:
“Some people are more scared of her when she’s got it on because it looks more frightening. It makes me want to cry, I hate it, I hate doing it to her.
“All she wants to do now is sniff, chew sticks. But she can’t do it.
“She just doesn’t enjoy it, she doesn’t want to be out.
“We’re used to going about to the Peak District but now I’m just weary of whether I should take her there.”
Owners can go to personal fields to let their canine off the lead, however Stacey says that is an additional expense:
“The nearest one is around ten minutes away and then you have to pay just to walk your dog. And what about people who don’t drive?
“We also had the exemption certificate, that was £92. Then we’ve got the third-party liability insurance. Muzzle, leads. Neutering, that’s costing £300.
“We’re in a cost of living crisis, it all came out near Christmas…. There’s people who could no way afford all that.”
Stacey does agree there must be some restrictions on who can personal an XL bully, however believes banning the breed is simply stigmatising the dogs themselves:
“If you’re going to have a dog, have a license, make sure that person is capable of having a dog.
“These are big dogs and in the wrong hands, if they’re not brought up in the right environment, they’re not going to react well in certain situations.
“So yes, something needed to be done, but it’s not going to solve the problem. All that’s going to happen is they’re going to move on to the next big dog.”
Ellie Moon from Wakefield beforehand began a petition to get XL bullies banned after her cocker spaniel Marley was killed by one whereas staying at a canine boarder’s final summer time.
She and her fiancé have been on vacation overseas and it was the primary time they’d ever left him. They had been assured Marley can be the one canine on the boarders, however it turned out he wasn’t.
“The XL bully was in the home and another dog owner came to drop their dog off and left the gate open.
“The XL bully got out of the house and went into the enclosure where all the other dogs were. It just beelined for Marley, like Marley didn’t even know that it was coming.”
Marley was taken to the vet and Ellie obtained a telephone name while on vacation to clarify what had occurred:
“The vet said that nothing was working and that he was deteriorating…and the kindest thing would be to have him put to sleep.
“We asked to go on Facetime so that Marley wasn’t on his own. So they did that for us.
“He was just a lovable, giddy, bouncy dog. He was our baby, he went everywhere with us. And he was just so lovely, like he would have never, ever
done anything like this and for him to be taken like that was just devastating.”
Ellie is generally welcoming the ban on XL bullies however doesn’t wish to see dogs in shelters put to sleep:
“I don’t imagine that they’re all dangerous, and I do imagine they do deserve an opportunity at being homed no less than as soon as.
“I agree with the registration of them, the neutering and the muzzle-wearing. But I don’t suppose it’s sufficient. They must be taking canine on canine assaults extra significantly, and I don’t suppose simply anybody ought to be capable of go and purchase a canine.
“There must be one thing in place the place it’s important to have a steady home and the potential to take care of, prepare and deal with that particular breed of canine that you just’re going to purchase. “
