They’ve never ever done anything wrong,” one woman says of her three XL bully dogs. “We’ve owned bull breeds for 10 years and they’ve never put a foot wrong, we’ve never had altercations in public, we have had nothing but a positive experience.”
Heather Halls and her husband Chris have spent the past few weeks in disbelief after Rishi Sunak announced in September that American XL bully dogs would be banned in the UK following a spate of high-profile attacks and fatalities.
Not only do three of their family dogs fall into this category, but Chris is a professional dog trainer specialising in bulldog breeds, meaning that their entire livelihood is now at stake. They also compete in the Protection Sports Association, by which two of their XL bullies have been awarded titles.
“Essentially, our whole world and what we’ve worked towards in the last few years is about to get flipped on its head,” says Heather.
The couple have now joined forces with other XL bully owners to launch an official campaign to challenge the government’s stance, with more than £86,000 raised in a matter of days to support legal action.
Campaigners from Don’t Ban Me – Licence Me are asking the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to rethink their plans and are fundraising for a judicial review.
Poor breeding to blame for XL bullies attacking people, says dog trainer
With the support of their barrister John Cooper KC, they sent a warning of their intention to launch legal action to the environment secretary Therese Coffey last Thursday, as they hope to scrap the planned ban in favour of tightened laws around breeding and ownership.
Under new legislation, it will be illegal to sell, breed or abandon an XL bully-type dog from 31 December, while it will be an offence to own one from 1 February 2024 unless it is registered to the government’s database, the Index of Exempted Dogs.
Once their animal is registered, owners will have to abide by strict regulations, which include keeping their dogs muzzled and on a lead at all times in public, having them neutered and microchipped, and having to carry a certificate of exemption at all times to show police officers or council dog wardens.
Alongside descriptions of head size and physical features, the government has defined an American XL bully as an adult male from 20in in height, or an adult female from 19in. However, given that XL bullies have never been defined as an official breed, this has confused owners of cross-breeds such as mastiffs and mongrels.
The decision to ban the breed came after deaths relating to XL bully attacks, including those of 10-year-old Jack Lis and 17-month-old Bella-Rae Birch. Two people were injured in recent days in Mansfield by a suspected XL bully, while one report holds the breed responsible for nearly 50 per cent of all dog attacks in the UK.
Charities with the banned breed in their care will now receive £100 compensation for euthanising an XL bully, while owners will get £200 compensation if a vet euthanises their dog.
Speaking to The Independent, Sophie Coulthard, an organiser of the campaign group, says: “The problem with this knee-jerk reaction is that it won’t stop dog attacks. We need to focus on licensing and educating owners, with compulsory training and tougher punishments to prevent people from impulse-buying dogs.”
Sophie has owned her XL bully, Billy, for the last year, and has developed a following on TikTok by posting educational videos of his training as well as details of the proposed ban.
“One thing we’ve found is that people are really misinformed on the full impact of the ban,” she says. “What the government is asking me to do is look at their guidelines and commit him to a life on the muzzle, not go on holidays with him, have him muzzled in the car.
“There’d be no more playing with a toy in the park, anyone in social housing could lose their housing or their dog, you can no longer hire private fields to take dogs off the lead. It is really reducing the quality of life for these dogs.”
The group is arguing for the UK to take a similar approach to Canada’s Calgary model, an educational, licensing and stronger enforcement programme that has successfully reduced the number of dog bites by 70 per cent.
“I understand there’s been attacks, and I fully sympathise with anyone who has been a victim, because it’s horrific,” Heather says. “Dog ownership is a complete and utter mess, and people got these dogs in lockdown and haven’t socialised them or trained them. My son was bitten by a dachshund that shot out of a front door, so it’s not just XL bullies.
“Licensing is the right way forward. It’s proven to work in other countries and you can’t ignore the evidence that it works.”
Since the announcement, her five-year-old son panics each time he hears a siren, out of fear that police officers will arrive to take his dogs away. “Our dogs are our family pets,” says Heather. “I’ll do anything to keep my dogs safe. I will fight with my last breath.”
A compassionate dog mom, who delivered her puppies on the street, was rescued along with her precious pups just in the nick of time
She didn’t choose the life of the streets; someone had abandoned her earlier. However, when the realization of impending motherhood struck, there was no escaping the harsh reality of the streets. She had no time to find shelter; her babies were coming, and she summoned every ounce of strength to bring them into the world.
Heartbroken, exhausted, teetering on the brink…
This forsaken dog mother exhibited both fragility and incredible strength, a testament to the resilience that all mothers carry within them.
Will her story have a happy ending? Could this suffering lead to something better for once?
Kudos, Momma! The Puppies Have Arrived
The sight of a vulnerable, freshly birthed dog mother lying beside her newborns tore at my heartstrings. The image was a desperate plea for assistance.
This poor dog mother was utterly drained of strength.
How could she be strong when she had been broken in so many ways?
According to her collar, her previous owners had discarded her, likely because she was pregnant. Deprived of proper sustenance, water, or shelter, this gentle soul roamed the streets, searching for a safe place to give birth.
Yet, sometimes, plans simply remain as plans. Labor took her by surprise, forcing her to deliver right there on the street, on a humble piece of cardboard.
Six puppies entered this world that day, though tragically, two of them were angels from the start.
Despite her extreme exhaustion, as soon as she noticed people approaching, the mother summoned the last reserves of her strength and rose to her feet. She had to protect her precious offspring.
Unaware that these people were t here to help her, she went into full defensive mode, acting aggressively to shield her babies. It seemed as though she didn’t realize that there were good-hearted people in the world, and not everyone meant harm.
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The rescue team faced three fierce encounters with the mother before they finally succeeded in capturing her, along with her little ones, and relocating them to safety.
Back at the shelter, the rescuers were relieved to find that the mother had enough milk to nourish her puppies. Now, it was time to nourish the mother herself.
She was ravenous, beyond exhaustion, and yearning for a proper meal.
That day, the mother was fed three times, a stark contrast to the typical one or two daily meals for dogs. She devoured approximately 5 pounds of liver in her first two meals, a testament to her hunger.
After the critical first 48 hours, the puppies began to thrive, growing, opening their eyes, and experiencing the joys of puppyhood.
The mother, though still somewhat traumatized and apprehensive around humans, was making progress. Sooner or later, she would learn to trust people again.
Without the kindness of these compassionate individuals, dog lovers, and dedicated rescuers, the mother and her puppies would have faced starvation.
After all the trials in her young life, the mother was finally granted the life she had always deserved.
We may not be able to save all stray dogs or solve every problem, but at the very least, we can spare a few dollars to feed the dogs on our streets. If everyone were to pitch in, the number of stray dogs in need could be significantly reduced.
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