Angus Council has become the first Scots authority to back a local man’s campaign for stricter controls over the breeding of Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
Animal welfare volunteer Ian Robb claims the stigmatised breed is facing a major crisis as the number of abandoned Staffies spirals out of control.
Mr Robb is vice-chairman of Help for Abandoned Animals in Angus, which has seen a massive rise in the numbers of the breed finding their way to the group.
His own research indicates a disturbing national picture, with Staffies being dumped in alarming numbers.
In Angus alone this year, HfAA has taken in 34 Staffies more than the charity would expect to see in a full 12 months.
Mr Robb is to take the issue to Holyrood this autumn, with a call to politicians to tighten controls in an effort to ensure only licensed breeders are selling the breed.
He launched a petition which has already gathered thousands of signatures nationally, and Mr Robb’s campaign now has the unanimous backing of Angus Council after he highlighted the issued to elected members at the authority’s final meeting before the summer recess.
“The drug culture is leading to the overbreeding, so people can sell them to fund their habit,” Mr Robb said. “There are many responsible owners, but those in the drug culture are ruining this breed.
“As a charity we can no longer cope with the number of Staffies coming in to our kennels.
“Many are vicious, we have to put them into a rehabilitation programme to make them suitable for re-homing, and many of them require veterinary care which can run into hundreds of pounds.
“It is causing a massive problem to our charity, and we fear that in the next few months it is going to get to the stage that we are going to be so full up with Staffies that we may not be able to fulfil our obligation to Angus Council, resulting in us turning dogs away.”
Arbroath Alliance councillor David Fairweather said, “This council should be right behind the idea that only registered breeders should be allowed to breed these dogs to stop what is happening and ensure proper owners and their animals are not stigmatised.”
Members agreed to ask council chief executive Richard Stiff to write to the Scottish executive in support of Mr Robb’s campaign.
Angus Provost Ruth Leslie Melville said, “I think you will sense there is a tremendous support for what you are saying and we will relay our concerns to the Scottish government.”
Mr Robb said he had been delighted by the positive response of Angus Council to the campaign.
“I have also had a great response from officials within the council and I am due to meet with them early next month,” said Mr Robb.