photo of Fred Ankrah
The American Bully is a breed of dog originating from the United States and has been at the height of current controversy as it has been speculated that this breed of dog is dangerous due to reports of numerous dog attacks allegedly by the breed.
As a result of this on December 31st 2023 it became illegal to sell , give away , abandon or breed from an XL Bully dog in addition to this on 1st August 2024 it became an illegal offence to own an XL Bully without a certificate of exemption .
The XL American bully is a very large breed and as somebody that has owned dogs all my life I would say does require an experienced owner that being said if the dog is raised correctly and receives adequate training they are in my experience one of the most loyal and loveable breeds on earth . They are super affectionate and clingy much like an overgrown baby .
When applying for an exemption certificate to maintain ownership of your dog and avoid it being “destroyed” there are a number of conditions the applicant must agree to abide by failure to agree or uphold the conditions agreed to will result in the dog being seized and potentially destroyed .
The fee to apply is 100.00 per dog you must also ensure the dog is microchipped and provide the microchip number, the applicant must agree the dog will remain on a lead and muzzle at all times in public and the dog must be spayed or neutered to prevent breeding of the now banned breed. The owner must also have third party public liability insurance which can be obtained via the pet trust .
I personally feel the legislation is incredibly problematic as nothing is done to check or assess whether the person applying for an exemption certificate is fit or suitable to own this type of dog for example if they are a knowledgeable and experienced owner and whether they are responsible meaning unfit and irresponsible people can still own an american bully defeating the whole purpose of the legislation .
I was absolutely petrified to apply for the certificates of exemption in case they were refused as there was no information or guidance provided in regards to what would determine if you could keep your dog or not. From what I could tell it seemed like a lottery and a matter of luck . Fortunately my dogs were granted the certificates of exemption.
Also good owners and dogs are being punished for example my dogs used to love running off lead , playing fetch and going for a doggy roast at the pub on a sunday as a result of the ban they are not getting as much exercise as I cannot run as fast as my dogs so they have to walk as my pace meaning they don’t burn off as much energy which could actually cause them to be more aggressive . We can no longer go for a doggy roast as they are not allowed to take their muzzle off, they cannot play fetch which they loved to do as they again cannot be without their lead or muzzle in public.
Getting a muzzle was a huge drama as I couldnt take the dogs to the store to get the muzzles fitted as they are not allowed in public without a muzzle . People were buying all the muzzles from the shops and selling them for triple the price . My dogs were scared of the muzzzles and I wasted so much money in buying them muzzles which were no good and ill fitting restricting my dogs breathing . Eventually I ordered custom fitted muzzles but they had a wait time of a month . I had to weigh up risking walking my dogs and bumping into the police and having my dogs destroyed or keeping my dogs locked up at home for weeks on end .
Then the requirement to have dogs neutered or spayed which was incredibly expensive and so scary . I remember dropping my dogs off and being filled with absolute dread as I had seen posts on IG where thongs had gone wrong and people’s dogs had died during surgery. Seeing my dogs in so much pain after was heartbreaking .
I went without and allowed my other bills to accumulate so I could afford the exemption certificate application and the neutering which made me feel this was also a socioeconomic problem as if you could afford to pay all of these expenses that somehow means that you a more fit to keep a dog then somebody who doesnt have alot of disposable income and perhaps cannot afford to exempt the dog . Due to the ban some Landlords refuse to rent to anybody owning an xl meaning people are having to choose between their dogs lives or being homeless . One man said he would sleep in a tent to avoid loosing his dogs because he could not bear the thought of living without them .
I kept finding myself asking what about kids who have come to love and see these dogs as part of their family or people who struggle with mental health . I grew up in a very violent chaotic household.
My childhood dog was my best friend. As an adult I have mental health diagnoses there have been times Ive been suicidal and not acted upon it because of the dogs . When I can’t function to meet my own needs I somehow always manage to meet the dogs needs which then in turn encourages me to take better care of myself just to be able to care for them .
Since the ban people have abandoned dogs . I’ve seen pregnant dogs abandoned as they are about to give birth . One dog burned to death . Dog shelters over run .
Since the ban on average 1,000 dogs per month have been destroyed . That very terminology makes me sick to my stomach, my blood boil and my heart break. How dare they use the word “destroy”.
I could not fathom the thought of somebody seizing one of my precious fur babies who are so loving and loved by all including my mum with brain damage and then being told they are no longer they have been destroyed .