A ban on XL bully dogs creates “a real risk of dog abandonment” and will place pressure on already stretched animal welfare groups, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) has said.
The ban, announced last week by Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys, is to be implemented in two phases and comes in response to a series of attacks involving XL bully dogs, including a fatal incident in Co Limerick recently.
From October 1st, the breeding, rehoming, reselling and importation of XL Bully dogs is to be banned. From February 1st, owning an XL bully will be prohibited unless the owner has secured a Certificate of Exemption. Penalties for breaching the ban include fines of up to €2,500 or imprisonment for up to three months.
The ISPCA said the change in legislation was deeply worrying for responsible dog owners who comply with the legislation and would create additional pressures on animal rescue charities. The ISPCA currently cares for 211 dogs, including 68 restricted breeds, with 28 potentially classified as XL bully dogs.
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Dr Cyril Sullivan, ISPCA chief executive, said: “Bans on specific breeds that have been in place in the UK for over 30 years simply have not worked.
[ Q&A: the ban on XL bully dogs - how will it work?Opens in new window ]
“The solution to this issue is much more complex than simply banning the breed, which won’t address the issue of dog attacks.”
Dr Sullivan said he would rather see stronger enforcement of current legislation, rather than a new ban. He called on the Government to work closely with animal welfare organisations to find a more effective and humane solution to the issue of dangerous dogs.
“Confining a dog to a kennel environment for the rest of its life, or euthanising a healthy dog, is just not an option,“ he said. “There is a real risk of dog abandonment of this breed following a ban... The ISPCA’s own animal rehabilitation centres are already full, as are many other rescue groups around the country.”
The Minister has established a working group to oversee the ban’s implementation, with Dr Sullivan appointed as a member. The group is aiming to address the complexities and unintended consequences of the ban and to ensure that the welfare of all dogs is considered.
Meanwhile, chief executive of Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) Pat Watt said his organisation wants an exception to be made for animal shelters when it comes to the ban on rehoming XL bully dogs.
He said DSCPA sympathises with people affected by “recent tragic dog-related incidents” but added that it “does not support breed specific bans for a number of reasons”.
He said the charity is “concerned that the ban on XL bully types will not address the root causes leading to dog attacks” and “a blanket ban will mainly target responsible owners who are not the problem.”
According to Mr Watt, the society would support “enhanced restrictions in relation to XL bully types”.
He also said: “We also urge the Minister to engage with animal welfare organisations on the implementation, and to make an exception for animal shelters post-October 1st to enable them to responsibly rehome, within strict assessment and adoption criteria, any XL Bully type dogs that come into care after the ban is implemented.”
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