- More than 200 XL Bully dogs in shelters are set to be put down inside days
- Researchers have linked ‘breed’ to a few quarters of deadly assaults in recent years
- Owners insist irresponsible handlers are accountable for violence and deaths
Hundreds of American XL Bully dogs are being deserted, despatched to Scotland or left on loss of life row in animal shelters — because the clock ticks all the way down to a ban on the killer breed on New Year’s Eve.
Under plans introduced by Rishi Sunak earlier this 12 months, will probably be unlawful to promote, abandon, give away or breed dogs that meet the XL Bully definition from December 31, and dogs have to be muzzled in public and legally registered by the top of January.
The plans, introduced in September following a wave of deadly assaults linked to XL Bully-type animals, have led to experiences of animals being deserted throughout England and Wales. Researchers say the dogs will be inclined for violence.
Just this week, two XL Bully dogs have been discovered seemingly deserted within the streets of Trerulefoot, southeast Cornwall, and needed to spend the Christmas interval caged up in kennels.
Meanwhile, a shelter primarily based in Rotherham referred to as Helping Yorkshire Poundies shared pictures of 11 unclaimed XL Bully puppies in a determined enchantment to seek out them new houses forward of the ban.
It comes as MPs have warned the federal government and police will not be able to implement the ban when it is available in, because it emerged that almost 2,000 exemption functions have been made within the first week that the scheme was open.
Figures launched by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) below Freedom of Information legal guidelines present there have been 1,846 functions within the week of November 14 and and 349 have been accredited, experiences the i.
More than 6,000 have been accredited to this point, based on a authorities assertion, and ministers estimate there are 10,000 XL Bully dogs in England and Wales. Some charities imagine this to be a conservative estimate.
MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee have written to Defra expressing ‘vital issues’ about its introduction.
In the letter, the committee mentioned it was significantly involved concerning the skill of ‘frontline staff, together with the veterinary sector, police and native authorities’ to deal with imposing bans and placing dogs to sleep.
The Dog Control Coalition (DCC) – a bunch of animal organisations against the ban – says greater than 200 dogs are nonetheless ready for a brand new home at rescue shelters. They face being put down in the event that they can’t be rehomed earlier than December 31.
The RSPCA, a part of the DCC alongside organisations corresponding to Blue Cross, Battersea, Dog’s Trust and the Scottish SPCA, mentioned it was a ‘very distressing time’ for animal rescue centres – however the authorities maintains the dogs have to be managed.
An RSPCA spokesperson mentioned: ‘Unfortunately, rescue centres have needed to assess whether or not dogs are XL bullies themselves as there aren’t canine laws officers available to do it, so it’s troublesome to substantiate the variety of XL bullies in our care.
‘Based on the usual available, we suspect that inside the Dog Control Coalition there’s a vital quantity, greater than 200, with a big proportion on the RSPCA.
‘Our groups and volunteers are working laborious to seek out the suitable houses for XL Bully dogs in our care who’re able to be rehomed earlier than the 31 December deadline and we’ve had success with quite a lot of dogs who at the moment are fortunately of their new houses.
‘Sadly not the entire dogs in our care are able to be rehomed earlier than the federal government deadline, because of behavioural or medical causes, and it is heartbreaking for the workers and volunteers who’ve been caring for them.’
The ban on XL Bully kind dogs was introduced following a spate of deadly and severe assaults within the UK earlier this 12 months.
Among these to have been killed this 12 months have been Ian Price in Stonnall, Staffordshire in September, and Ian Langley in Sunderland in October.
XL Bullies – which has their roots within the American Pit Bull Terrier breed, which is banned within the UK – have additionally killed youngsters, together with ten-year-old Jack Lis in November 2021 and 17-month-old Bella-Rae Birch in March 2022.
Campaign group Bully Watch claims Bully breeds, widespread on social media and adored by celebrities corresponding to rapper Drake and Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock, have been linked to 14 deadly assaults since 2021, and 351 assaults this 12 months alone.
The Centre for Evidence-Based Regulation of Dangerous Dogs, a voluntary analysis group, estimates that XL Bully dogs make up lower than one per cent of all UK canines, however have been accountable for 44 per cent of assaults in 2023 and 75 per cent of deaths within the final three years, experiences the Guardian.
The sample of assaults prompted the federal government to legally outline XL Bullies with a view to embrace it as a banned breed below the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Dogs that match sure bodily traits have to be registered as an XL Bully on the Index of Exempted Dogs and neutered. Exemption certificates cost £92.40 and require insurance coverage.
Those who choose to place their dogs to sleep can declare as much as £200 compensation from the federal government to cowl the prices of euthanasia, however many are attempting to rehome their dogs to both keep away from placing down their pets or due to an absence of vets.
With a ban on breeding, and remaining dogs anticipated to be neutered, the breed ought to disappear altogether with correct enforcement.
But on-line communities are stuffed with posts from XL Bully homeowners begging for assist with overlaying the cost exemption or reporting deserted dogs, whereas others have resorted to sending their dogs to Scotland, the place the ban doesn’t apply.
One put up, put up by a girl searching for houses for 2 XL Bullies in Nottingham, wrote: ‘They shall be killed of their 1000’s.’
Cora Woolard, 24, from Cwmbran in Wales, is amongst these to have rescued an deserted XL Bully and paid to register it with the federal government.
Her new canine Tyson had been given up by his earlier proprietor in Bristol as a result of she lived in a small flat with a child.
Ms Woolard instructed MailOnline: ‘Since rescuing Tyson he has melted our hearts. We weren’t trying to rescue a puppy this quickly as we had solely simply moved into our personal home however after assembly Tyson and simply seeing how candy he was we could not say no.
‘As it was such final minute, with all the brand new restrictions and it being throughout Christmas our pockets have been hit laborious.
‘Rishi (Sunak) has made it unattainable for lots of people to maintain these valuable dogs, setting a price of £92 out of greed, all as a result of he would not like a sure breed.
‘We needed to search assist from others to get the funds for exemption.
‘How can he ban an XL Bully when there have been extra assaults by Jack Russells?’ she requested, referring to a declare made in September by James McNally, referred to as ‘The Dog Bite Solicitor’, that the tiny terriers are extra probably than XL Bullies to attack.
She continued: ‘Rishi has by no means lived a day in the true world, it is all only a scapegoat to get votes on the subsequent election.
‘Someone who provides you a reward to place a member of your loved ones to sleep should not be on condition that a lot energy.’
But the ban has been fiercely contested by followers of the breed, who say it may be managed by accountable homeowners.
Pen Mehmet, 45, from Boreham Wood, has been attempting to get deserted or undesirable XL Bullies into new houses forward of the rehoming ban.
‘I’m having to rehome dogs by way of no fault of their very own,’ she instructed MailOnline.
‘They are a powerful canine, and within the unsuitable palms they could be a weapon. But so can a chihuahua.
‘But I’ve taken in dogs which were tied up and my God, they’re so pleasant. There’s no motive for them to be tied up.
‘Why do 98 p.c of those dogs should endure due to the 2 per cent that induced an issue?’
Some homeowners have despatched their dogs to Scotland, the place the ban doesn’t apply.
Tyler Mabel Rose, 28, from Kirkcaldy, is amongst these to have rehoused an XL Bully north of the border, with spouse Ruth.
Their canine Bobby got here from an proprietor in Sheffield, who paid £300 to ship the canine up the street.
She mentioned: ‘He’s an enormous daft softy. So beautiful, he behaves properly and is only a candy canine. It’s been an adjustment taking him in as a result of we have not had a canine right here in years. We work on coaching day by day and he is very properly behaved.’
She added that whereas she felt the ban was ‘ridiculous’, she didn’t oppose extra stringent controls on what she noticed as irresponsible homeowners.
‘It’s the homeowners, not the dogs. It’s exhausting to assume the federal government thinks that dogs are inherently dangerous, inherently aggressive. They’re educated to be aggressive.
‘I feel that as an alternative of banning the canine they need to give coaching to the homeowners of all massive dogs. It’s heartbreaking that any bully homeowners in England and Wales are liable to dropping a valuable liked one as a result of the federal government cannot put restrictions in place on the individuals housing the animals.
‘An exemption should not be for the canine, however a letter stating that the proprietor is accountable for correct coaching, the proprietor is succesful and the proprietor will do what’s essential to hold everybody and the canine secure.’
Campaign group Don’t Ban Me – Licence Me has sought a judicial evaluate of the ban in a bid to overturn it. It expects to makes its case in January.
The authorities, nevertheless, maintains that it has taken ‘fast and decisive motion’ to guard the general public from XL Bully dogs.
A spokesperson mentioned: ‘We urge XL Bully homeowners to take the suitable motion to verify they adjust to new restrictions that come into drive this Sunday 31 December, when XL Bully dogs have to be stored on a lead and muzzled in public.
‘We additionally encourage homeowners to use for an exemption certificates earlier than the ban comes into drive on the 1 February, 2024, and be a part of greater than 6,000 homeowners who’ve already carried out so.’
 - a group of animal organisations opposed to the ban - says more than 200 dogs are still waiting for a new home at rescue shelters. They face being put down within days.){kind=link}