Animal welfare organizations in Ireland have filed a legal challenge against the government’s upcoming ban on XL bully dogs, set to take effect on February 1st. The ban, which restricts ownership of the breed without an exemption certificate, has sparked concerns from charities about its fairness and vagueness.
Six animal welfare groups, including My Lovely Horse Rescue and Clare Animal Welfare, argue that the regulations are overly broad and lack sufficient safeguards for existing owners. The groups claim the ban, which also prohibits the import, breeding, rehoming, or reselling of XL bully dogs, fails to provide clear criteria for identifying the breed and has led to confusion and an increase in dog surrenders.
Under the new law, anyone found owning an XL bully dog without an exemption certificate could face criminal charges, with potential fines or imprisonment of up to three months, as well as the possibility of their dog being seized and euthanized. The certificate can be obtained only if the dog is licensed, microchipped, and neutered.
Charities are particularly concerned about the definition of the XL bully breed, which they argue is unclear and overly restrictive. They contend that the government has failed to provide evidence that XL bullies are a significant public safety threat, and they criticize the lack of an appeals process, which differs from a similar law introduced in the UK. The UK law includes minimum dog height requirements and an appeals process to prevent the euthanasia of wrongly identified dogs.
Martina Kenny, founder of My Lovely Horse Rescue, shared that her organization has seen a substantial increase in requests to surrender bully-type dogs, with up to 10 inquiries per day. She described the emotional toll on rescue workers, noting that healthy dogs with no behavioral issues are being euthanized due to confusion about the new regulations. There have even been instances where pit bull dogs were wrongly identified as XL bullies and euthanized as a result.
The charities argue that the ban is not only unfair but also leads to unnecessary suffering for both the dogs and their owners. They have raised concerns about the impact on bully breeds in general, as the law has caused more abandonment and difficulty in rehoming these dogs.
On January 20, 2025, the High Court allowed the charities to proceed with their judicial review case. If the case is not delayed beyond February 1st, the organizations may seek an injunction to halt the implementation of the ban. The outcome of the case could significantly influence the future of the XL bully dog ban and the treatment of bully breeds in Ireland.
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