Concerns have been raised over a potential “influx” of XL Bullies to Dundee as owners exploit the lack of restrictions in Scotland.
It comes after the UK Government ban in England and Wales was introduced on December 31.
Owners can apply for an exemption but the dog must be insured, microchipped and neutered.
However, The Courier has been made aware of social media posts which suggest a number of XL Bullies have been transported to the City of Discovery since – and after – the legislation kicked in.
The cross-border moves appear to have been made with the help of “support” groups, who pay a key part in transporting the animals to Dundee so they can be rehomed.
And this has prompted concerns among locals and politicians.
‘I’m mortified at them being homed in Dundee’
Dundee pensioner John Reid was hospitalised after being attacked last July by a dog he believes was an XL Bully.
The incident happened whilst he was out waking his daughter’s nine-year-old Westie, Charlie, near Kinneff Crescent and left him “covered in blood”.
The Hilltown resident – who is still shaken up following the attack – told us: “I’m mortified at the possibility of them being homed in Dundee.
“What happened last year was horrific for us and when I’m out walking my dog I’m still frightened.
“I’m wary if I see a big dog and I carry a spray with me in my pocket now.”
John added: “I meet a lot of dog walkers and they’re all wary now – you should be able to walk your dog without fear of being attacked or wounded [by an XL Bully].
“I’ve had several conversations with people from down south on Facebook about the issue and a lot of people seem to be naïve as to how strong these dogs are.
“Maybe 80 or 90 per cent of them will be fine but it’s the 10 per cent – if they attack you, you can’t fight back and that’s it.
“I don’t agree with destroying the dogs but you should take some safety steps to protect people, like a muzzle or harness for example.
“The public have a right to safety.”
Trainer urges people to ‘really think’ about rehoming XL Bullies
Dundee-based dog trainer Loraine Kidd also has concerns over the speed at which XL Bullies appear to have been rehomed in Dundee – and across Scotland – following the ban in England and Wales.
Loraine, who runs a dog day care centre at Emmock Road, said: “They are a lot to handle and they have the specific needs of a working dog.
“You need to have a lot of knowledge but they have a lot of strong genetics in them.
“The rate at which they are coming up doesn’t allow for proper assessments to be done and there’s not a lot of thorough checks.
“We’ve heard that a lot of them have gone to emergency foster homes which can be quite dangerous because these dogs have quite a lot of unknown backgrounds.
“So people don’t know if they have bite history or a history of attacking other dogs.”
“We’re urging people to really think about it if they want to adopt a XL Bully and seek professional help from trainers in the industry – any training is better than none.”
‘Coherent plan’ needed
Labour MSP Michael Marra, who represents Dundee in the Scottish Parliament, has called for a “coherent plan” to tackle the issue.
He said: “People will be deeply concerned that dogs deemed too dangerous for England are simply being sent north to Scotland and the Dundee area.
“We have ended up with different policies in a key area and people are simply picking and choosing which laws to follow and how.
“This is the inevitable consequence of having two dysfunctional governments who refuse to work together.
“The Scottish Government needs a coherent plan to deal with the potential influx of these dogs.
“That plan needs to reassure the public and empower Police Scotland to take the necessary steps to protect people.”
Earlier this week dog campaigner Kerryanne Shaw, 38, told us of her plans to set up a sanctuary for XL Bully dogs in the Dundee area.
But on Friday, a Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We have not received any application and we have not been in any discussions with a potential applicant.”
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