As St. Patrick cast out snakes from Ireland, so were 22 XL bully-type canines expelled from Ashbourne in County Meath last Thursday. Their expulsion came in comfortably cooled vans bound for Sweden, a two-day trek traversing both earth and water. From the first day of October, this Tuesday, it will become illegal to import, reproduce, vend or find a new home for an XL bully dog. This paves the way for those housed in shelters or pounds to be euthanised. Dogs that are kept by their owners will require an exemption certificate starting next February and they must undergo neutering and microchipping.
The coalition has forbidden XL bully-canines—which aren’t a breed—following a series of prominent recent attacks. A tragic event occurred last June when Nicole Morey, aged 23 of Limerick city, lost her life to an attack by her own pet. Elsewhere, a ten-year-old boy from Wexford and a one-year-old girl from County Kerry were gravely injured by these animals.
Only last week, a Dublin-owned XL bully dog had to be put down subsequent to attacking its owner, resulting in hospitalisation. The dogs embarking on the vans for a fresh start in Sweden contradict this savage image. With all of them originating from rescue centres or foster homes, they won’t find a new home following next Tuesday, instead facing potential euthanasia.
Despite their impressive strength and size, they show a softer side through their affectionate nature. They demonstrably express their fondness towards their caregivers, bounding up to them and gently licking their faces. They carry lovable monikers like Dottie, Kenzi, Rocco, Custard, and George and they coexist harmoniously with their human counterparts.
Heather Humphreys, the Minister of Community Development, defends the ban on the grounds of public safety. Yet, the animal rescuers congregated in Ashbourne beg to differ. In their view, these dogs pose no danger to people, provided they are trained effectively by responsible caregivers.
Everyone was furious and considerably emotional regarding the upcoming prohibition. Martina Kenny from My Lovely Horse Rescue expressed disappointment that Heather Humphreys had implemented this without consulting with those directly affected. Visibly distraught, she placed two-year-old rescue XL bully dog, Poppy, into a travel crate for the pup’s relocation to Sweden.
Andy Cullen, the initiator of Husky Rescue Ireland, is among those transporting dogs to Sweden. He revealed that he’d been approached by five XL bully dog owners, requesting that he take their pets before the enactment of the ban; unfortunately for them, it was a tad too late.
Although Cullen has become acceptant of the impending ban, he believes that animal shelters and pounds should have had the chance to find new homes for the XL bully dogs in their care. Essentially, these dogs didn’t choose to be born and, therefore, deserve an opportunity for life, he argues.
Brenda Fitzpatrick, part of the rescue organisation Working Animal Guardians (Wag), urgently advocated for a “continuous amnesty to allow all rescue organisations to safely and efficiently rehome XL bully dogs.” She is convinced that this is the most compassionate approach.
Meanwhile, the Swedish charity, Hunda Utan Hem (Dogs without a home), has already secured homes for a majority of the XL bully dogs originating from the Republic. Carolyn Karlsson, a representative of the charity, is astounded by the decision to impose such a ban in the Republic.
Using the term “dog racism,” she firmly states this wouldn’t occur in Sweden due to stringent regulations. She clarifies that Sweden is not prone to treating dogs in the same manner they are sometimes treated here, with stray dogs being entirely absent from the streets.
“We have an entire authority committed to the wellbeing of all animals, with responsible breeding being a significant aspect”, she explained.