Scotland, along with England and Wales, will restrict Bully XL dogs

Scotland will join England and Wales in strictly regulating the Bully XL dog breed, after some dog breed owners in those two countries sent their dogs north to avoid rules already in place at home.

The country’s Prime Minister Humza Yousaf told parliament on Thursday that Scotland would “essentially replicate the legislation of England and Wales.”

“I’m afraid it has become clear in recent weeks that we have seen a flow of XL bully dogs into Scotland,” he said in response to a question.

The bully, or American bully as it is also known, is a relatively new breed that is a mix of pit bull and other terriers, as well as bulldogs. The XL in the name indicates a larger size, with the dog normally weighing 100 to 150 pounds and standing 20 to 23 inches tall.

The dogs have landed on the public radar after several attacks on humans, resulting in fatalities in recent years. Bullying Look, a group calling for strict regulation says roughly half of all dog attacks on people in Britain are by larger bullies and that since 2021, 11 confirmed human fatalities have been caused by bullying XL dogs.

The policy in England and Wales, which launches in full at the end of this month, will make it illegal to sell, give away, abandon, or breed a Bully XL. Dogs must be kept on a leash and muzzled in public. Those who want to keep their dogs must apply for an exemption and a microchip and have their dogs neutered. The government said 4,000 exemption requests had been received last month. It was unclear how many would be approved.

The policy says those who don’t follow the rules could face a criminal record and a fine.

The rules prompted some dog owners in England to find new homes for their dogs in Scotland. Alex Gregory, from Shaw, near Manchester, told The Manchester Evening News that she drove 1,000 miles in December and January to transport several bullies to Scotland.

“Some people just couldn’t afford to take dogs to a vet to pay to have them microchipped and pay to have their data logged on a computer,” she said. Critics of the regulations say the bully is unfairly singled out, perhaps in part because the breed is popular in poorer neighborhoods. They also say that restricting a specific breed is unfair and ineffective because owners will continue to create new breeds that are also potentially dangerous.

A group that fights against restrictions on specific breeds, Don’t ban me, license me, said all dogs should be licensed, regardless of breed, and that dog owners should be trained. “By ending breed-specific legislation and focusing on responsible ownership, we can create safer communities for both people and dogs,” the group said on its website.

However, advocates like those at Bully Watch are seeing an increase in fatal dog attacks on people, a significant number of which are by bullies. Between 2001 and 2021, an average of three people died every year in Britain after being bitten or hit by a dog. In 2023, 16 died, according to the Office for National Statistics.