Your Views: Scotland to enforce XL Bully dog ban

READERS have reacted to the news of Scotland's XL Bully ban following the coverage of one Moray mum's efforts to rescue members of the controversial breed.

On Thursday (January 18), the Scottish Government's Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown made a statement to the Parliament, confirming new safeguards will be put in relation to ownership of XL Bully dogs.

This means it will be an offence for XL Bully dogs to be sold, bred or abandoned and all dogs must be muzzled and kept on a lead in public places. Dogs will also need to be neutered, microchipped and insured and owners will have to apply for a certificate of exemption to keep their XL Bulldog.

The MSP said that the decision was a "direct result" of the UK Government’s decision to introduce new controls on the XL Bully dog and the dogs which have come to Scotland as a result. She added: "These are exceptional circumstances in which we find ourselves. It is therefore right to replicate the regime in England and Wales so that we remove the ability of English and Welsh dog owners to use Scotland to get rid of their dogs.

As of today (January 20), no official date for the incoming ban has been announced.

Readers have shared their views on the controversial breed, following Scotland's new legislation.

Leigh Naan said: "When the UK announced the ban the Scottish government should have made tougher than usual policies about them being moved to Scotland, I'm all for dogs being rehomed but only if the home is 100% – it was obvious it was going to happen."

XL Bulldog owner Karen Taylor, from Buckie said: "My beautiful ghost. He is a true ambassador for this breed. This is a sad day for our loving breed but I hope we are all responsible here and get our babies through exemptions and keep them safe."

Adding in another comment on Facebook: "We had hoped our first minister would of stood his own ground and made his own mind up to realise this is nonsense to ban them in first place. I stand my ground and say it’s the owners and not the breed."

Fraser Ingram said: "As usual Scotland trailing behind the rest of the U.K"

Another reader got in touch with this response: "The mass movement of XL Bully dogs to the safety of Scotland is commendable in its intent, but it leaves me feeling a bit "eek".

"Putting the breed and the ban aside, the sudden influx of stressed and disoriented dogs across the border raises concerns for me. I read an alarming statement from an individual boasting of relocating 97 dogs in a day, surely this raises questions regarding adhering to proper protocols for so many animals in such a short time? And this certainly was no isolated case.

They added: "I fear for those homes that, moved by a sad story, took on a 60kg dog with no prior experience or support system. And I fear for the fallout from the mass move."