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Original poster

XL bully dogs and Scotland

993 replies

CoatOfArms · 22/12/2023 08:03

Another blinder by our "wonderful" government. I was not aware that the ban on these awful chav beast dogs only applied in England and Wales. No legislation to ban/restrict them in Scotland.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67787667

Some dim woman who runs a "bullie rescue" says she has been "inundated". Isn't that just marvellous.

Angie Lukey

The Scots taking in XL Bullies as England cracks down

Five-month-old Buddy has just arrived after his owner in Liverpool decided to give him up.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67787667

OP posts:
Thread gallery
66
Original poster
CoatOfArms · 27/12/2023 08:37

@carerneedshelp you really think the sort of person who thinks an XL bully is an excellent family pet is the sort of person who bothers with insurance? Insurance isn't just about covering health, it's about covering any damage your animal may cause. And the risk of this sort of animal causing damage/injury to someone is much higher than the risk from a jack russell or labradoodle.

OP posts:
HerMammy · 27/12/2023 08:58

@Sarvanga38
The rescue has taken over the kennels and are renovating them.
To the others stating bullie rescues have no access to vets and are some wee woman, independent rescues do provide vet care and many are extremely well run.
Horrible ignorant attitudes on here.

Kokeshi123 · 27/12/2023 09:10

Wonder if there will be an increase in dog attacks in Scotland following this. Talk about a grotesque natural experiment...

Original poster
CoatOfArms · 27/12/2023 09:14

You taking a few of these "lovely" dogs in then @HerMammy ?

OP posts:
Sarvanga38 · 27/12/2023 09:15

HerMammy · 27/12/2023 08:58

@Sarvanga38
The rescue has taken over the kennels and are renovating them.
To the others stating bullie rescues have no access to vets and are some wee woman, independent rescues do provide vet care and many are extremely well run.
Horrible ignorant attitudes on here.

But I believe the current owner will still be in charge/owning? The rescue certainly haven’t bought the premises for the money that has been raised.

He has clearly shown immense lack of judgement and a poor sense of responsibility for his own dogs, let alone those he has been paid to board. Why would anyone think this issue is magically going to be fixed?

The perils of him continuing to be involved with such powerful dogs barely need spelling out, surely, particularly as if the many reports are to be believed he is not always kind to dogs. Perhaps Darwinism will come in to play here, I just hope these dogs are kept securely, at least.

hollysmumma · 27/12/2023 09:34

Superfans · 22/12/2023 09:34

These dogs are terrifying. I’m a HCP who has to do home visits (in Scotland) went into a house with one, felt very intimidated. Advised by management can’t treat patient differently as discriminatory. The SNP are more focused on foreign affairs than the safety of the Scottish population. They are waiting for a death to take action. Implement a ban now.

You're not treating the patient differently, you're protecting yourself from physical harm. I'd have another word with the manger, and put something in writing.

Original poster
CoatOfArms · 27/12/2023 09:54

As a HCP I wouldn't think it's unreasonable to ask for any dogs to be shut into the kitchen or put into the garden when you're visiting.

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 27/12/2023 10:14

I’m glad I’m not the only one who missed the fact that it didn’t apply in Scotland. How long before we see more attacks up here, do you think, while all the claims of ‘deed not breed’ and hand wringing goes on? I don’t care if some of them have access to vets or if Janice is running a wee fundraiser to set up a charity in her front room, there will be far more brought up here in the back of a van in exchange for a few quid.

The incompetency of our government never ceases to amaze me.

BigBoysDontCry · 27/12/2023 10:26

It was reported in the Sun in November, posted on our community group since we'd already been having issues with these dogs/owners.

www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/11571891/siobhian-brown-xl-bully-ban-snp-government-not-follow/

Scottishskifun · 27/12/2023 10:35

Their is no definition of what an XL bully is it's based on a set of measurements which is a nightmare for people with staffie crosses.
I have a relative who is having to go through and prove their dog isn't a xl bully (they are a staffie crossed with a collie) it does not look like these dogs but if a member of the public reports them they have to prove its not!

Unfortunately it's not the dogs fault these have become a status dog and it will simply move to the next breed for people who want to train dogs to be aggressive. It's far more sensible to bring in a licence scheme for owning a dog in the first place.

Original poster
CoatOfArms · 27/12/2023 12:14

I would agree, @Scottishskifun, and make it a whopping great licence fee too. £250 a year or something. Then the money raised could be used to fund dog wardens and enforcement officers to deal with the people who refuse to comply with the rules.

OP posts:
BigBoysDontCry · 27/12/2023 12:33

But then the problem dog owners aren't the people who'd bother with a licence and dog wardens are limited in what they can actually do. Dog on dog even if it is one of these dogs v a poodle, a the bullies has killed it.

Dog warden said his hands were tied even though we had 2 of these chasing kids in the playground as they hadn't actually attacked them.

SirChenjins · 27/12/2023 13:17

Agree @BigBoysDontCry - licenses are useless, the irresponsible dog owners who buy or breed these oversized, powerful and completely unnecessary dogs aren’t the sort of people who would fork out for a license. On top of that, many councils have done away with their dog wardens.

Original poster
CoatOfArms · 27/12/2023 13:28

Don't have a licence? Dog taken and destroyed. Simple.

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 27/12/2023 13:34

And how many councils have the resources to check people have licenses? They just don’t (nor do the police).

Yolo12345 · 27/12/2023 13:55

Nothing is stopping you from setting up a petition, lobbying the Scottish Parliament, reach out and involve your local MSPs etc and then the legislation will filter through the Scottish jurisdiction...

CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 27/12/2023 14:21

But then the problem dog owners aren't the people who'd bother with a licence

We still have driving licenses and insurance and MOTs, even though some people illegally drive.

dog wardens are limited in what they can actually do.

I would personally seriously beef up powers of wardens and police when it comes to dogs. The owner of the dogs that killed that man in his mum's garden had already been visited twice by the police after reports of his dogs being dangerously out of control. For the police to attend twice it must have be reasonably serious. I'd make it so you don't get to keep the dog(s) in those situations. Those dogs should have been removed, not left until they killed someone.

I'm not sorry about the breed specific ban. But I do think that in general, for dogs that are not a banned breed, there should be more powers for police to remove them sooner if dangerous.

Dissimilitude · 27/12/2023 14:23

You can bet your bottom dollar that the the SNP will fold like a pack of cards on this, once the penny drops for the population that this ban isn't happening here, and there's the first fatal incident whipped up by the media.

The SNP in a nutshell - contrarian (vs England), then lofty "principles" that are jettisoned rapidly, and late, once the pressure mounts.

DinoDays · 27/12/2023 14:30

HerMammy · 27/12/2023 08:58

@Sarvanga38
The rescue has taken over the kennels and are renovating them.
To the others stating bullie rescues have no access to vets and are some wee woman, independent rescues do provide vet care and many are extremely well run.
Horrible ignorant attitudes on here.

Interested to know the charity number of the "rescue" taking over the kennels.

Or is it just some randomer raising money on a justgiving page?

HerMammy · 27/12/2023 15:24

They're a registered and established charity. Would you be making these comments if it was a spaniel rescue?

Original poster
CoatOfArms · 27/12/2023 15:25

If there was a lot more being collected from licensing, the wardens could be more visible, more of them, more powers.

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 27/12/2023 15:55

Yolo12345 · 27/12/2023 13:55

Nothing is stopping you from setting up a petition, lobbying the Scottish Parliament, reach out and involve your local MSPs etc and then the legislation will filter through the Scottish jurisdiction...

Are you being sarcastic?

Missingmyusername · 27/12/2023 15:57

CoatOfArms · 22/12/2023 08:46

I think everyone has a horror story about these animals. It's pure luck that there hasn't been a fatality in Scotland so far, it's just a matter of time. Especially if we are to be "inundated" with adult, poorly trained animals which people in England don't want.

You do realise this stupid ban won’t work don’t you?
Greeders will take another breed like Cane Corso, Caucasian Shepherd and breed them badly resulting in another nightmare.
It’s the breeders you need to take aim at!

DinoDays · 27/12/2023 16:53

HerMammy · 27/12/2023 15:24

They're a registered and established charity. Would you be making these comments if it was a spaniel rescue?

Absolutely would be making similar comments! I work in the charity sector and am very aware that some people have good intentions when trying to raise money but have no idea of the law!

Yolo12345 · 27/12/2023 18:31

@SirChenjins no not at all. I'm just saying that this kind of area of legislation is reserved to the Scottish government so it's not at all unusual that this law applies only to England Wales, which is a different jurisdiction. In exactly the same way smoking was banned in public places in Scotland well before England - the tide had turned earlier and the public/Lobby groups/medical associations etc brought about the legislation earlier in Scotland ...and it was followed a bit later in England & wales.

I'm just saying that if people in Scotland demand similar legislation in Scotland then nothing is stopping it coming about.

Plenty of legislation is passed in England & Wales on all sorts of matters, that doesn't apply in Northern Ireland or Scotland. Blaming this on the "SNP" is a bit strange in that it's not their role to replicated legislation being passed down south necessarily. Unless the people living in Scotland demand it of course...

If I may just mention, for example water. The government in Westminster has significantly RELAXED legislation in terms of what can be dumped into the waterways in England. This is causing public sickness, higher levels of contamination in the sea and in drinking water. Thankfully, ScotGov does not believe in putting this valuable resource at risk and will therefore not introduce legislation in this sense to the Scottish Parliament.