The ban on ownership of XL Bully dogs, which came into effect today, is causing "mass confusion and panic" among dog owners and shelters, the head of the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) has said.
DSPCA CEO Pat Watt said that while the charity successfully rehomed its XL bullies, there were worries a significant number of XL bullies in shelters around the country who were going to be euthanised as they could not be rehomed by the deadline.
A High Court injunction granted yesterday however has paused a regulation from coming into effect today, which would have allowed for XL bullies to be seized from shelters by State agents and euthanised.
Mr Watt said the ban has impacted the perception of bulldog breeds in general and there has been "a very significant rise in bull breeds and cross breeds being surrendered or abandoned" to shelters.
He cited an example of somebody who tied up a dog, which was not an XL Bully, outside the DSPCA shelter and left it there "just the other day".
"It's making things very difficult for shelters. They are overcrowded, they are under pressure, and they are finding it very difficult to rehome," he said.
Mr Watt said shelters have not received any Government support in dealing with the new legislation.
"We’ve been paddling our own canoe here in terms of getting on with it," he said.
What is the new legislation?
As of today, it is illegal to own an XL Bully type dog without a certificate of exemption issued by the local authority or evidence that an application has been made.
The importing, breeding, selling and re-homing of XL Bully dogs was already prohibited, after a ban came into effect on 1 October last year.
The Government then gave owners until today to apply for an exemption.
All XL Bully owners must now either have a certificate of exemption or proof that they have applied for one.
The certificate allows the owner to keep the dog at a specific premises until the natural end of the dog’s life.
To receive the certificate, owners must also ensure that their XL Bully dog is licensed, microchipped and neutered.
Read more: Court delays regulation allowing XL Bully euthanisation
All XL Bully owners may then be required to present their certificate to a dog warden within ten days of a request to do so.
Owners who are unable to produce a certificate face a fine of up to €2,500 or imprisonment of a term of up to three months.
The XL Bully dog may then be seized and euthanised. The injunction granted by the High Court yesterday put a temporary pause on a new regulation which would have allowed agents seize or euthanise XL Bully dogs in the care of animal welfare organisations.
The DSPCA CEO reassured owners who have applied but not yet received their certificates.
"We should reassure responsible owners about if you have applied for a certificate of exemption and applied to have your dog neutered, there is nothing for you to worry about, it will happen in due course," Mr Watt said.
The Department of Rural and Community Development, which is overseeing the legislation, said some 235 people had applied for a certificate of exemption by the end of December.
In England and Wales, however, some 57,000 certificates of exemption were issued before a similar ban took effect there in February 2024.
The Department of Rural and Community Development said it could not provide an estimate of how many XL Bully type dogs there were in Ireland.
It said this was due some dogs not being registered while other dogs may not be registered as falling under the XL Bully type.
In the first eight months of the ban in England and Wales, a total of 848 XL Bully dogs were seized and euthanised.
From 1 October to 31 December in Ireland, there were approximately 23 XL bullies surrendered to Irish pounds and 27 euthanised in pounds, according to figures provided by the DSPCA.
What is an XL Bully?
An XL Bully dog is described by the Department of Rural and Community Development as a "variant of the wider American Bully breed type".
It says the XL Bully is "typically larger (both in terms of height and body shape) and more muscular" than other American Bully breed types such as the micro, pocket, standard and classic.
The department has produced a document outlining the physical conformation standards for an XL Bully type dog.
The document describes the dog as a "large dog with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for its size", adding it is a "powerfully built individual".
It provides lengthy descriptions of all characteristics of the dog.
For example, the document describes the dog’s head as having "prominent cheek muscles with strong, well-defined jaws and lips semi-close" while its body "generally appears square shaped from point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks".
Mr Watt said he did not believe the definitions were clear enough.
He said they are seeing owners confused and afraid of what is coming as the deadline passes.
Mr Watt said: "They are now looking at the dogs going 'Does this constitute an XL Bully?’"
He said even the DSPCA has struggled to determine whether certain dogs are or are not XL bullies by the definitions.
"If you put other breeds into those criteria, you will find that some of them meet the measurements.
"The thing is ridiculous," he said.
Contamination of perception of bulldog breeds
Mr Watt said the new legislation has contaminated the perception of bulldog breeds in general which, he said, "are fabulous breeds".
"One of the number one family pets in the UK is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, they are absolutely fabulous dogs, very gentle, great companions.
"But these dogs have all been contaminated by this and as a result it is going to take much longer to rehome them and we are already finding that," Mr Watt added.
He said the DSPCA has been trying to open up new avenues internationally to try and get them rehomed, adding that there has been an additional cost and animal welfare impact of keeping them in shelters for an extended period of time.
"It is very concerning and very worrying and very disappointing," he said.
Why has the legislation been introduced?
The legislation was introduced with the specific aim of protecting public safety following a number of attacks by XL Bully type dogs.
The then-minister for rural and community development, Heather Humphreys, said the ban was being introduced "in the interest of public safety following a number of horrific attacks by XL Bully dogs, which included the death of a young woman in Limerick".
Last year, 23-year-old Nicola Morey died following the attack at her home in Co Limerick.
Elsewhere, a nine-year-old boy was left with serious facial injuries after being attacked by an XL Bully dog in November 2022 in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
"We must be mindful however that no dog’s life is worth more than human life. Ultimately, that is what guided me in making this decision," Ms Humphreys said.
The former minister also announced an additional €2m to be provided to support county councils to hire more dog wardens.
‘Problem is at the other end of the lead’, says DSPCA CEO
Mr Watt believes the new legislation in Ireland will not achieve the intended aim of reducing attacks.
He said the experience in other jurisdictions is that it does not achieve that goal citing that the number of dog-related attacks has gone up in the UK since the ban.
"What it’s doing is driving it underground in terms of illegal breeding.
"We are seeing evidence that there are new hybrid breeds that are going to replace the XL Bully.
Mr Watt said the solution was down to enforcement, education and making sure that owners are compliant with the relevant legislation and behaving responsibly.
"Enlighten, educate and enforce would be the recommendations coming from us," he said.
Breeding XL Bullies a 'cruel practice'
Mr Watt said the DSPCA supports the ban on breeding and importation of XL bullies along with keeping them on the restrictive breed list.
He said breeding dogs such as XL bullies is a "cruel practice" as their skeletal frame is under pressure because of their sheer size.
He added that there is a need for better enforcement of the current legislation which means more dog wardens and increased penalties for non-compliance.
Mr Watt said: "The big drive for us would be an education programme on responsible pet ownership and we would be advocating mandatory training for owners of dogs that are on the restricted breed list.
"The factors that influence whether a dog is capable of attacking a human and causing damage, regardless of breed, are things like cruelty, lack of care, lack of training and poor behaviours by the owner.
"The problem is at the other end of the lead, not at the dog end in the main."
