Scottish Government urgently reviewing rules on XL bully dogs amid ‘influx’

Siobhian Brown, the SNP community safety minister, said public safety is ‘paramount’

A ban on XL bully dogs has come into force in England and Wales

The Scottish Government is urgently reviewing its rules on American XL bully dogs amid an “influx” of the breed from south of the border.

Siobhian Brown, the SNP community safety minister, said public safety was “paramount”. There have been widespread reports of XL bullies being brought to Scotland in the wake of a ban in England and Wales.

Legislation introduced by the UK Government made it illegal to breed, sell or walk the dogs in public without a lead and muzzle. Owners must apply for a certificate of exemption for current pets before the end of the month.

However, restrictions have not been introduced in Scotland. Last week, First Minister Humza Yousaf said he did not think a ban was needed.

But on Monday, he said: “I think it is important for us to make very clear that Scotland is not a safe haven for XL bully dogs. We do have a tight regime in relation to the control of dogs. But given what we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, it’s wise that that policy is immediately being kept under review.

“I’ve asked for some advice myself as First Minister, not just on just the current regime, but on what options there may be for us, in order to consider what more we may need to do in order to make sure that we keep people safe because that is our paramount priority.”

Addressing MSPs, Ms Brown said: “The unintended consequence of the UK Government’s policy is that we’re now seeing an influx of XL bully dogs coming to Scotland. It is important to ensure Scotland does not become a safe haven or a dumping ground for the XL bully dogs from England and Wales.”

She said ministers were “urgently reviewing the policy on XL bully dogs and public safety will be paramount in our deliberations”. Ms Brown said a timetable for any policy change “will be updated to Parliament imminently”.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene said the unintended consequences were a result of the Scottish Government failing to take action.

He said: “Every day the SNP fail to follow the UK Government risks further tragedy. It is time for the SNP to stop allowing Scotland to become a safe haven for XL bully dogs, quit their political game-playing and announce a ban before a single life – human or otherwise – is tragically lost.”

Animal welfare concerns have been raised by the RSPCA following the ban south of the border. The alarm was raised after an XL bully dog was found dead with a fractured skull and burn marks in an alleyway days before the ban began.

The charity also warned rescue shelters may not be able to cope with the significant increase in abandoned dogs.

The campaign group Bully Watch, which has called for action to be taken in Scotland, previously estimated that between 100 and 200 adult dogs have been transported north of the border.

“There are dogs being transported up to Scotland daily now,” its spokesman Doug Smith told The Scotsman last week. “It's hard to put a number, but certainly it's not a handful of cases – it's happening at scale.”