If you’ve been living under a rock over the past few months, you’d be forgiven for missing the news on XL Bullies in England and Wales… but the reality is you probably haven’t. Especially if you’re a dog owner. And even more so if you’re the owner of a pup that might get caught up in the ban.
The fact is Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) has been banded around for years, with Staffies and other bull breeds often being at the centre of these discussions. But this outdated approach is now at risk of spinning completely out of control. Whilst I absolutely do not want to take anything away from anyone who has suffered from or has been impacted by a dog attack, the truth is any dog can be dangerous, and any dog can cause injury. I 100% believe change needs to happen in our communities, but I don’t believe this ban is the way to go.
Firstly, the government legislation is based on ‘breed type’ not actually a specific breed meaning so many dogs are getting caught up in the chaos. They haven’t clarified that a XL Bully is ‘this breed x this breed’, it’s based purely on physical characteristics, with height being the main factor. So if you’re dog is taller than 19 inches for a female, or 20 inches for a male, let me pre-warn you – you’ve suddenly got to become an expert in canine anatomy to figure out whether your dog might fall into the scope of the ban. The legislation descriptors are vague at best, and it’s up to owners to decide whether their dog is an XL Bully. But this is where the problem lies, it’s completely open to interpretation. What is blocky and muscular to one person is different to another. So if I say my dog isn’t an XL Bully because I don’t think they meet enough of the characteristics, but an enforcement officer thinks they do – who’s right? And how is that fair?
The legislation says take a precautionary approach, which means if you’re like me, you’ve probably lain awake at night analysing the criteria and wondering what the hell to do. It’s likely to mean that many responsible dog owners will apply for exemption and pay the £92.40 fee, just to be sure they can keep their beloved pet. They will put their dog on a lead and in a muzzle when they take them out in order to comply. And the whole time, they might not even need to!!!
Because what happens if they don’t? Their dog can be seized at any point. It’s likely to then be taken to kennels for an undetermined amount of time where they can be assessed for aggression. Don’t know about you, but if I’m taken away from my home and my family and locked away, I’m going to be pretty aggressive.
My Staffy X, Lola is seven. She is the softest, sweetest pup. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. But I’m still responsible and ensure she is supervised around anyone that isn’t us, and on her lead when she needs to be. When the ban was originally announced, I had no worries. Lola wasn’t an XL. But then the legislation came out and all of a sudden things changed. Lola’s tall, so she immediately falls in the “possible” category. I’ve tried to reach out to our vets to help me understand the rest of the characteristics but they are reluctant to help… I’m sure they don’t want any liability, which I can understand but it’s not helpful for owners like me. There is no one to help us determine what to do. I know I won’t be the only one with a dog on the borderline. It’s a terrifying position to be in. And worst of all, if she was half an inch shorter, I wouldn’t even have to worry.
For those dogs that fall into the ban, they must have an exemption certificate, they need to have third party liability insurance, should be neutered and be kept on a lead and be muzzled at all times. Lola has always been insured, has been spayed and is very often on her lead as she can get anxious.
My biggest bone of contention is the muzzle. As I said, Lola is seven, she’s never been muzzled and I don’t want to muzzle her when I have no cause or reason to do so.
My social media feeds are full of XL Bullies being abandoned, or offered for free. There are hundreds in rehoming centres across the country, who are basically sitting on death row because come January, many of them with be euthanised. And if they aren’t? They are condemned to a life in a kennel, never to be considered for a new forever home again.
Can someone please make this whole thing make sense?
The government could look at so many better ways of fixing the problem we have. It’s down to responsible dog ownership, training, and licensing. Not banning. Because what breed is it going to be in the next ten years when dog attacks are still happening? It might be yours.
Sign here to help: Delay XL Bully ban
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