THE owner of an XL Bully moved to Scotland to dodge new laws banning them down south.
Daniel Ward, from London, travelled in a motorhome with his eight-stone dog Legend to avoid strict rules in England and Wales.
Media ScotlandDaniel Ward travelled from London in a motorhome with his eight-stone dog Legend[/caption]
Media ScotlandHe rescued Legend from a shelter last year and takes precautions to avoid his beloved pet lunging at anyone[/caption]
It’s not only illegal to sell the dogs, but rehoming and breeding them is also banned.
The pets must be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public.
And on February 1 2024, it will be a criminal offence to own an XL Bully south of the border unless it has a Certificate of Exemption.
Daniel, 53, said he couldn’t afford to comply with the new legislation.
He told the Sunday Mail: “His favourite thing is to play on the beach. He couldn’t do that with the ban and I can’t take him to the beach with a muzzle on. That’s not fair, it’s why we’re moving.
“It costs £93 to register – that’s almost a month of food for me. I’m living on sandwiches, beans and eggs as every penny has been spent on the journey up here.
“If they ban in Scotland, I’ll move. It’s a disgrace these poor dogs will be put to sleep and politicians don’t give a monkey’s.”
Daniel says the dogs are dangerous but only “in the wrong hands”.
He rescued Legend from a shelter last year and takes precautions to avoid his beloved pet lunging at anyone.
He added: “I understand people who say these dogs are dangerous.
“They are, in the wrong hands. I always carry a muzzle, he’s on a pinch collar and a long line at all times.
“You have to treat them properly and train them. People let their dogs lunge at people and think it’s funny – it’s not. My dog weighs eight stone, I’m only nine stone. You can’t take risks with dogs like this.
“When I have conversations with people, we do it from a distance and slowly move closer so they don’t get scared and neither does Legend. When I first got him, he was terrified of everything.”
The new rules follow a series of fatal attacks including the mauling of Ian Price, 52 — killed as he tried to protect his elderly mum in Stonnall, Staffordshire.
There have also been a string of horror attacks in Scotland involving XL Bullys.
It led to fears the dangerous dogs will “invade” the country as breeders flock to escape the ban in England.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Scotland has a dog control notice regime that is unique in the UK and focused on preventing dog attacks from happening in the first place.”
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