Senior vet warns of ‘significant problems’ with XL bully ban plan

Leading veterinary and welfare sector figures have warned “significant problems” are likely in implementing and enforcing a ban on XL bully-type dogs.

The Government last month pledged to define and ban the breed by the end of the year, following a series of high-profile, and often fatal, attacks linked to the type.

But an emergency select committee session in Westminster today (18 October) heard wide-ranging concerns about the basis for a ban and how it might be introduced.

‘Mountain to climb’

David Martin, IVC Evidensia’s group animal welfare advisor, said potential requirements – such as large-scale neutering of affected dogs – would represent a “mountain” to climb for a profession that is already under pressure.

He highlighted difficulties in defining the breed itself, a lack of sufficiently robust data and practice capacity limitations as just some of the issues that need to be addressed.

Asked if he felt it was impossible to legislate for a ban, Dr Martin said: “I think we are going to have some significant problems.”

Meanwhile, the head of the RSPCA’s companion animals team, Sam Gaines, revealed her organisation had left the breed confirmation working group set up by Defra because it was so concerned about the approach being taken to the issue.

Abandoned dogs

She argued that the data being used to justify the Government’s policy was not sound and that a ban could lead to more XL-type dogs being abandoned.

But Lawrence Newport, co-founder of the Campaign for Evidence-based Regulation of Dangerous Dogs, argued the Government’s data justification was sound, and material from sources such as police records was the best currently available.

The session, which was held as part of the EFRA select committee’s wider inquiry on issues relating to pet welfare and abuse, was also told that a debate on two rival petitions related to the ban proposal is likely to take place next month.

Almost 590,000 people have signed a petition opposing a ban, while a counter-campaign supporting the plan has been backed by more than 28,000 signatures.

Full report in next week’s Vet Times.