Animal protection organisations will demonstrate against the government’s new XL bully dog regulations at Dublin’s St Stephen’s Green today. The regulations are scheduled to take effect on October 1, reports RTE.
Upon complete implementation of the new law, XL bully dogs will be prohibited.
Next month, the first set of new regulations will make it unlawful to import, sell, rehome, or breed XL bully dogs.
The second phase will prohibit the ownership of XL bully dogs unless the owner possesses a Certificate of Exemption, and it will go into effect on February 1, 2025, reports RTE.
The bill is being presented in response to several recent assaults.
The Working Animal Guardians Rescue’s Brenda Fitzpatrick stated that it “simply does not work” to outlaw any canine breed.
Dogs of all breeds are less likely to attack if they are well-socialized, trained, and cared for, according to Claire Byrne of RTÉ’s Today.
“There’s a huge welfare, moral and ethical issue here. Dog pounds and rescues are overflowing with different types of bull breeds, including the XL bullies, and once 1 October comes in these dogs cannot be rehomed so they will basically be condemned to death,” she said, reports RTE.
“We’re talking about a whole population of dogs here that have done absolutely nothing wrong only they have the unfortunate luck in life to be owned by the wrong people,” she added, reports RTE.
James Madden, a veterinary officer with Leitrim County Council, stated on the same episode that it is already difficult to find a new home for these dogs because the demand for them “has collapsed” during the past several months.
He claimed that many owners are giving them up since people do not want them, reports RTE.
“There is a difficulty now rehoming them, irrespective of the regulations on 1 October,” Mr Madden said, adding that responsible owners can apply for a certificate of exemption, reports RTE.
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