Janice R. Andrews
Concerned that these cherished pets would be put to death, a Scottish animal rescue organization is pleading urgently for homes to be found for four XL bully-type dogs before a government deadline approaches.
Scotland will outlaw the breeding, trading, selling, or abandonment of XL bully dogs as of February 23. Dog owners will have to keep their pets on leashes and in muzzles when they are in public places, including cars.
The four dogs—Duchess, Praline, Paddington, and Lex—at the Aberdeenshire, Glasgow, and Lanarkshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centers have had extensive behavioral evaluations as well as necessary treatments including microchipping and neutering, according to the Scottish SPCA.
The organization’s head of fostering, rehoming, and community involvement, Jennie Macdonald, stressed the severity of the adoption crisis, saying, “As Scottish government advice stands at present, it will become illegal for us to rehome these dogs if they have not found homes by 23 February.”
Concurrently, the Scottish government is putting into effect a two-phase strategy for legal protections pertaining to large bully breeds. Without an exemption permit, owning an XL bully will be prohibited as of July 31. Violators risk a fine of £5,000 or up to six months in jail.
Head of animal behavior at the SSPCA Claire Haynes emphasized the need for responsible dog ownership and argued for a change in emphasis from breed to deed, emphasizing that any dog breed might be dangerous if not treated carefully.
In her description of these reforms, Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown emphasized the need of compliance as well as the impending requirement for exemption certificates.
In order to emphasize the importance of kind deeds and ethical pet ownership, the charity is pleading with prospective adopters to step up and give these dogs loving homes before the deadline.
