Crufts bosses say XL Bullies will continue to be bred through loopholes and ... trends now
XL Bullies will continue to be bred through loopholes, according to Cruft bosses who believe that the government ban on dangerous dogs is 'doomed to fail'.
The organisers of one of the biggest dog shows in the world claim that the law does not stop the breeding of dogs or prevent dangerous attacks.
From February 1, it became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate and it was added to the list of banned dangerous dogs.
It is also now against the law to breed, sell, rehome, advertise or abandon XL Bully pups in England and Wales, with Northern Ireland reportedly looking into clamping down on the breed.
Dr Ed Hayes, head of public affairs at The Kennel Club, the organiser of Crufts, said that the law is 'doomed to fail' because of gaps in the law.
The organisers of one of the biggest dog shows in the world claim that the law does not stop the breeding of dogs or prevent dangerous attacks
Dr Ed Hayes, head of public affairs at The Kennel Club, the organiser of Crufts , said that the law is 'doomed to fail' because of loopholes
He told the Telegraph: 'We are going to continue to have a supply of dogs that grow into XL bullies as years go by.
'There will be a huge number of XL bullies going through the court process forever more because they'll continue to be produced by mating two legal dogs together.'
Dr Hayes said that breeders will pair two dogs together that are half an inch under the legal limit, therefore making it legal.
But these two hounds can create a litter of dogs that end up growing taller and therefore classed as XL Bullies.
The Crufts official also said that the Dangerous Dog Act is another strain on police resources, adding that after being assessed in court, the canines are 'typically' handed back to their owners.
In January it was reported that police have spent at least £2.2 million housing XL bullies.
Bill Lambert, a spokesman for Crufts, told the outlet that the Act was not working, claiming that there had been an 'increase' in dog bites.
'We're really disappointed that the Government hasn't taken this opportunity to look at the whole Act,' he said.
Mr Lambert said the government should consider a staged approach to help support owners, for example, dogs could be muzzled in public or kept on a lead before a risk has emerged.
Currently, owners who do not have a certificate for their dogs can face fines, prosecution and having their pet confiscated, meaning many dogs were abandoned after details of the ban emerged.
This comes a vets have faced 'abuse and threats' from XL Bully owners over the dog breed's ban, according to the president of the British Veterinary Association.
Anna Judson said the situation had created a 'very emotionally charged atmosphere' and some 'really challenging situations' between owners and vets.
She reminded lovers of the breed to be 'mindful' and 'kind' to vets dealing with the rapid change.
Bill Lambert, a spokesman for Crufts, told the outlet that the Act was not working, claiming that there had been an 'increase' in dog bites
Mr Lambert said the government should consider a staged approach to help support owners, for example, dogs could be muzzled in public or kept on a lead before a risk has emerged
The Crufts official also said that the Dangerous Dog Act is another strain on police resources, adding that after being assessed in court, the canines are 'typically' handed back to their owners
Ms Judson added that the BVA was 'very concerned'
