Dog owners warned not to rehome banned XL bullies in Scotland
- Published
- comments
American XL bully dogs are now subject to restrictions in England and Wales
Owners of American XL bully dogs have been warned against rehoming the breed in Scotland after they were banned in England and Wales.
UK government legislation made it illegal to breed, sell, or walk the animals in public without a lead and muzzle from 31 December.
However, restrictions on the animals are yet to be introduced in Scotland.
It comes after one man claimed to have driven 30 dogs across the border for rehoming purposes.
Under the new laws, XL bully owners must apply for a permit, take out insurance, neuter their dogs and pay a £92.40 fee by the end of the month in order to keep the animals.
The breed has been linked to a series of attacks including the death of a man in Staffordshire.
The Scottish government's community safety minister, Siobhian Brown, said it was still "weighing up evidence" on whether they should be subjected to similar constraints.
But she said the ban in England and Wales should still allow for owners violating the new rules to be "held accountable for their actions" without having an impact in Scotland.
She told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme: "It is concerning to hear reports that the XL Bully dog is being moved to Scotland for rehoming.
"We have made it clear to the UK government that people in England and Wales should not use any loopholes that could be created to get rid of their dogs north of the border or anywhere else in the UK."
'Identification confusion'
First minister Humza Yousaf said "no firm decision" had been made on a Scottish response following the UK government's decision in September.
Ms Brown said consultation with victims of dog attacks, animal charities, police and trade unions was ongoing.
The campaign group Bully Watch, which was formed in response to a series of high-profile attacks by the dogs, has accused the Scottish government and SSPCA of being "asleep at the wheel" and called for action to be taken in Scotland "before it is too late".
The group said: "It is not just how you raise them. Genetics matter. A Bully XL is genetically a pit bull bred for exaggerated size and musculature.
"Due to poor breeding some of these dogs have a much lower threshold for arousal and a heightened prey. Allowing these dogs to be placed in inexperienced Scottish households is a recipe for disaster".
Under the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs definition, an XL bully has to be 20 inches in height if it is a male or 19 inches in height if it is a female.
Ms Brown cited "confusion" over the official guidelines and how the dogs would be identified as "dangerous" if they measured under that limit.
She said no timeline was in place for a Scottish government decision, but added further consultation was required before any legislation could be put forward.
She said: "Any dog attack is atrocious, but we need to have a balanced view and we will make a decision based on evidence.
"I've got a dog. If I had an XL bully living next to me, and this is what I would say to everybody if you've got a rottweiler next to you or a German Shepherd next to you, and you do not feel safe, you should be getting in touch with your local authority if that dog has behavioural problems so that the dog control notice can be put in place.
"But if the dog was under control and was a family member of the house next door, I wouldn't have concerns. I couldn't say that just because of the breed."