XL bully bans ‘a missed opportunity’, web platform warns

An online dog sales platform has warned that bans on owning non-exempted XL bully dogs may have triggered a surge of interest in smaller alternatives to the banned type.

The issue has been highlighted by puppies.co.uk as it backed veterinary and welfare groups’ long-standing calls for a change of approach to the issue.

Although government officials have consistently argued the ban was necessary on public safety grounds, some critics fear it will only transfer the problem to another breed.

According to the site’s figures, searches for pocket bullies rose by 64% during the period between 24 June and 24 July.

Scottish ban

The figure, which is for the UK as a whole, was recorded in the final weeks before the Scottish XL bully ban came into full force at the beginning of August.

But a spokesperson told Vet Times that a similar pattern was also observed prior to the equivalent legislation for England and Wales coming into force in February, and warned that lawmakers should focus on the promotion of “responsible” dog ownership and training.

He said: “Each time a breed is ‘banned’ we miss an opportunity to educate dog owners and breeders on what really matters, in favour of a plaster solution, and unscrupulous practices will just migrate to the next breed in fashion.

“It must stop. More needs to be done to ensure that all dog breeds are bred properly and raised properly.”

He added that the platform was also urging breeders not to “cut corners or use unethical practices” to meet growing demand for other dog types.

Recommendations

Last month, Defra pledged that it would publish the recommendations of a responsible dog ownership task force it set up under the previous Conservative administration, although no timescale for that process was given.

While Labour pledged a range of new animal welfare measures in its election manifesto, no reference was made to dangerous dog legislation, while the party also supported the XL bully ban when it was in opposition.

Meanwhile, speaking ahead of the implementation of the ban in Scotland, the Scottish justice secretary Angela Constance insisted the measure was “in place to promote and support responsible ownership and public safety as effectively as possible”.

Breed-specific legislation

But many prominent animal charities, together with the BVA, have repeatedly demanded the abolition of breed-specific legislation like the XL bully ban, arguing that similar laws have been proven to be ineffective over more than 30 years.

The platform’s comments also carry further significance amid the anticipated introduction of a similar ban in Northern Ireland by the end of the year and one in the Republic of Ireland in early 2025.

Restrictions preventing XL bully dogs from being bred from, sold, gifted or abandoned have been in place in Northern Ireland since early July, while the first phase of the republic’s measures will be implemented from 1 October.

Meanwhile, earlier figures, which the group released in June, suggested a significant increase had been seen in owners seeking to buy breeds that are thought to be more aggressive, including Presa Canarios (up 13.3%), Cane Corsos (up 9.2%) and Staffordshire bull terriers (up 8%).

Speaking at a House of Commons select committee hearing last October, IVC Evidensia group animal welfare advisor David Martin also warned evidence already suggested some owners who had XL bullies as so-called “status dogs” were turning their attention to other breeds.