Dogs come from England
Scotland is arming itself against the “terrier glut”
January 11, 2024, 7:00 p.m
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The debate about dangers posed by Staffordshire and Bull Terriers is also ongoing on the island. England and Wales are even aiming for a ban. As a result, many people bring their dogs to Scotland and abandon them there. Now the government there is under pressure to act.
After the ban in England and Wales for dogs that are summarized under the term “American XL Bully”, Scotland also wants to impose a corresponding regulation. Scottish Prime Minister Humza Yousaf said this in the regional parliament in Edinburgh. The background is that an increasing number of breeding dogs have been brought to Scotland in recent weeks, said the politician from the separatist SNP party. Some of the animals are said to have been abandoned there.
Fatal incidents in Great Britain involving bites by “American XL Bullies” have recently increased. In mid-September, the government announced that it would take steps to ban the animals, which are known for their strength and aggressiveness. At the turn of the year, a muzzle and leash requirement was introduced. Breeding and passing on the animals is now illegal. From February onwards, the dogs may only be kept with an exceptional permit, otherwise the owners face penalties and the dogs may be euthanized.
As the BBC reported, the so-called American XL Bully is said to have been created in the USA at the end of the 1980s from a cross between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. The goal was an even more muscular dog. According to the group Bully Watch, the hybrid first appeared in the UK around 2014 or 2015. The number of animals increased rapidly during the pandemic.