July 12th 2024.
The Irish rural and community development minister has deemed the XL bully dog breed as 'dangerous'. In a similar move to the UK, Ireland will soon be implementing a ban on this controversial breed. The Department of Rural and Community Development announced today that from October of this year, it will be illegal to sell, give away, abandon, or breed XL bully dogs.
Starting in February, it will also be illegal to own an XL bully unless the owner has obtained a 'Certificate of Exemption'. This decision may not be popular with everyone, as the minister herself is a dog owner and understands the strong bond between humans and their furry companions. However, the safety of human lives must be the top priority, which ultimately guided the minister in making this difficult decision.
The XL bully, also known as the American bully, is a relatively new breed that is a cross between pit bulls and bulldogs. Unfortunately, this breed has been associated with a number of attacks on humans, some of which have been fatal. 23-year-old Nicole Morey was tragically mauled to death by her dogs, one of which was an XL bully, in her home in Fedamore, Co Limerick last week. A 10-year-old boy, Alejandro Mizsan, also suffered life-changing injuries after being attacked by an XL bully in Co Wexford last year.
Minister Humphreys expressed her concern that without action, the number of XL bullies in the country will continue to rise, leading to more frequent attacks. She also believes that Ireland should be in line with neighboring jurisdictions in Northern Ireland and the UK, which have already implemented similar bans on this breed.
Those who choose to ignore the ban and own an XL bully will face consequences, including a fine of up to 2,500 euros and up to three months in prison. The ban has already been implemented in England and Wales, with Scotland following this month. Northern Ireland, which has seen an increase in the number of XL bullies since the ban, has also taken steps to strengthen their regulations.
Statistics from the advocacy group Bully Watch UK show that between November 2021 and February 2024, XL bullies were responsible for 15 deaths in the UK, with over half of the attacks involving larger XL bullies. While researchers say that XL bullies are not inherently more aggressive, they can be more dangerous when they do exhibit aggressive behavior. However, there is still limited research on this breed, as they have only been around since the late 1980s.
Some experts argue that a blanket ban may not be the most effective way to reduce violence and could unfairly target lower-income communities where the breed is more common. They also raise concerns that singling out the XL bully may lead to the development of new, potentially more dangerous breeds. Professor Carri Westgarth from the University of Liverpool believes that more intervention and legislation are needed to effectively reduce dog bites, rather than solely targeting one breed.
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