At least 246 XL bully canines might be euthanised when a ban on the breed comes into drive on the finish of the yr, Sky News can reveal.
The canines at the moment reside in rescue centres run by the RSPCA, Blue Cross, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Dogs Trust and Mayhew, amongst others.
Under the ban, which comes into drive in two phases, XL bullies can’t be lawfully rehomed or offered after 31 December.
It follows a spate of latest assaults and deaths involving the breed.
Any XL bully in rescue centres in England and Wales should be put down except they are often rehomed earlier than the top of the yr.
Despite rescuers with the ability to apply for exemptions to maintain the breed, the canine could be pressured to reside its life out in a kennel, which charities say they might by no means select for welfare causes.
Pet homeowners are required to have their canines muzzled and on a lead when in public from 1 January, however they’ve till February to use for an exemption to personal a banned breed.
Many extra XL bullies might be put down subsequent yr – the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes stated the 246 to be exterminated symbolize lower than half of all of the controversial breed to have been rescued within the UK.
The whole value to charities to destroy their XL bullies might exceed £90,000, in keeping with Blue Cross.
The organisation stated it prices between £350 to £400 to kill a giant canine like an XL bully, as their measurement means cremation prices are elevated and extra medicine are wanted to euthanise them.
As a end result, vets “face the prospect of being asked to put to sleep healthy dogs whose behaviour poses no risk”, the RSPCA stated.
The authorities is providing XL bully homeowners £200 in direction of the price of placing their canine to sleep ought to they select to, however Blue Cross stated the compensation “will not replace the love and affection of a much-loved family pet”.
XL bullies throughout the nation additionally have to be neutered by February – one thing which is placing plenty of pressure on rescue charities.
Blue Cross has greater than 1,000 XL bullies that it’ll neuter for his or her homeowners.
Its spokeswoman Becky Thwaites advised Sky News: “If the timeframe for neutering is not extended we will be placed in a position where other preventative work such as vaccinations and routine neutering will have to be stopped.”
Read extra:
Police shoot lifeless XL bully in grounds of main faculty
Two individuals critically injured in suspected XL bully assault
Why banning the canines might be problematic
Similarly, the RSPCA stated: “There is a huge risk that rescue centres and the veterinary profession will not be able to cope with the demands put on them by this law.”
The necessities of the ban imply kilos that decide up stray XL bullies may also should euthanise them.
‘Abandoned’
In West Yorkshire, an XL bully named Daisy was deserted three weeks in the past. Found ravenous, she was picked up by a pound, practically 10kg underweight.
The pound, which Sky News is selecting to not identify, has seen a rise in XL bullies being deserted.
Like rescue centres, as soon as the ban is available in on the finish of the yr, Daisy can not go away the pound to be rehomed. She might be put to sleep, together with two different just lately deserted XL bullies.
The RSPCA stated there have been “already, anecdotal reports of dogs being surrendered or abandoned across the rescue sector”.
In an try to overturn the ban, marketing campaign group Don’t Ban Me, Licence Me has launched authorized motion towards the federal government.
If the federal government maintains that its resolution to ban the XL bully was affordable and lawful, or it would not reply in any respect, the campaigners will launch a judicial evaluation.
If they can not get a fast judicial evaluation, they are going to apply for an injunction to delay the ban coming in, they stated.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs stated the ban was introduced in to “protect the public from tragic dog attacks”.
A spokesperson added: “Alongside this, we are focused on ensuring that the full range of existing powers to tackle dog control issues are effectively applied across all breeds of dog.”
Source: information.sky.com”