Owners of XL bully dogs will have to register them with authorities
By Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent
New rules are being introduced in Northern Ireland to restrict the ownership of XL bully dogs, Andrew Muir has said.
They will have to be muzzled and on a lead in public.
New legislation will also require owners to get an exemption certificate for their XL bully.
The breeding and selling of XL bullies will be banned, the Stormont agriculture and rural affairs minister has said.
Similar moves have already been introduced in the rest of the UK.
Andrew Muir also said a new scheme will be set up requiring owners to register their dog with the authorities.
The legislation was brought in as the government faced pressure to act, after the breed was linked to a string of serious and sometimes fatal attacks.
What is an XL bully?
Defra previously released guidelines on defining and recognising an XL bully
Speaking at Stormont on Tuesday, Mr Muir said he had not taken the decision lightly.
“There are 140 XL Bully breed type dogs licensed right now, up from around 90 last October,” he added.
“Therefore it is time to act, whilst numbers remain manageable and while we can – in the main – track where these dogs are.”
It is understood the move will require legislation that could come before the assembly in summer or early autumn.
The new scheme will require owners of XL bullys to:
- Appropriately record and account for their dog, with the relevant authorities
- Keep their dog muzzled and on a lead at all times in public
The new rules will also make it illegal to abandon, rehome, sell, buy, or transfer ownership of an XL bully.
Dogs will also have to be neutered.
Responsible owners
The department said if an owner of an XL bully does not want to follow the measures and no longer wishes to keep their dog, it will have to be put down.
Mr Muir said: “No owner will be forced to give up their dog or made to hand over their dog.
“I am giving the owners of XL bully breed type dogs the ability to be responsible and compassionate owners.”
He added that he was aware of calls to deal with “the deed not the breed”, but had to act in light of safety risks.
There are four breeds of dogs that are banned in Northern Ireland:
- Pit Bull terrier
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Braziliero
The minister said that in the five months since measures had been announced in Great Britain, there has been a rise of more than 50% in the number of XL Bully breed type dogs licenced by councils in Northern Ireland.
“I cannot rule out that the significant uplift in XL bully dogs finding a home here is due to displacement from England, Scotland and Wales,” he added.
He said he was concerned that the figure could also be under-reported.
The USPCA said it was disappointed in the minister’s announcement.
“Promoting responsible pet ownership is crucial and helping people to understand these dogs will mean that more and more people might think twice about buying a dog like this to own,” said Chief Executive Nora Smith.
“We already have legislation at our disposal to be respond to irresponsible dog owners, that is what we should be focussing on, better enforcement.”
Ms Smith added that the USPCA would continue to work with the department to “tackle long-standing dog breeding issues that exacerbate the problems associated with dog attacks”.
