The XL Bully dog ban comes into effect tomorrow – but according to one animal rights advocate, the law is unfair to both the dogs and many of their owners.

The breeding, importing, selling or rehoming of XL Bully’s has already been illegal since October 1st 2024.

From tomorrow, owners of these dogs will also be required to have their pet neutered, microchipped and properly certified.

The dogs must also be muzzled, kept on a short leash of less than two metres and can only be led by people over the age of 18.

The ban was implemented following a string of attacks, including the death of Nicole Morey in Limerick.

Co-Founder of My Lovely Horse Rescue Martina Kenny told Newstalk Breakfast that the ban will disproportionately affect those living in social housing.

“Many dogs are being abandoned anyway because people can’t get the exemption because, you have to remember, there’s a restricted breed list,” she said.

“If people are living in a Council house and they say they have an XL Bully, they won’t get an exemption cert.

“In a Council house, Councils have a restricted breed list and they have turned a blind eye to it for many years.

“Now they’ve suddenly gone, ‘That’s it, all dogs on the restricted breed list [have to go].”

Protestors march with placard during the XL Bully Protest.
Credit: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy Live News. 23rd Sep, 2023.

Ms Kenny said that just over 250 people have applied for an exemption cert across the country.

She said this is due to the fact that many people are afraid their dog will be taken off them and asked where we draw the line.

“There’s loads of dogs bred to be aggressive,” Ms Kenny said.

“I mean, now you’re talking then what about German shepherds? What about a lot of breeds like that – the Doberman – all of those breeds? We cannot just keep banning.

“Look, the main thing is, it’s not going to work. It hasn’t worked in the UK; it’s cost millions, we certainly don’t want to spend millions [as well].”

'We should be penalising people'

According to Ms Kenny, we should focus more on punishing owners than dogs.

“We never, ever penalise the people,” she said.

“We’re penalising a dog – for no reason really – we should be penalising people.

“This dog is now not only going underground, but they’re coming up with a new thing – it's a panther something, even bigger.

“So, these guys don’t care, you know what I mean?”

Ms Kenny said that we should not punish those who put the proper work into their dog just because of the mistakes of others.

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Main image: The British Government takes steps to ban the XL Bully breed after a number of fatal attacks. Credit: Justin Griffiths-Williams/Alamy Live News. 26th November 2023