A man who made four trips to Scotland to rehome XL bully dogs before a ban on the breed came into force in England and Wales says the new restrictions are “disgusting”.
Sammy Wilkinson, 29, believes XL bullies are being targeted “unfairly and brutally”.
The 29-year-old, from Birmingham in the West Midlands, drove to and from Scotland four times to rehome around 12 dogs ahead of the rules coming into force on 31 December.
Mr Wilkinson told Sky News: “Every dog is born a blank slate and it’s up to the humans who look after that dog to carve it into the final sculpture, if you will. No dog is ever born bad.
“Every dog that’s aggressive has been made that way because it’s a product of its environment.
“I’ve had probably close to 40 XLs in my car over the last two months. There’s not been a single problem with any of them.”
The new rules have been brought into force following a spate of attacks in which people have died or been injured by the dogs.
What are the new rules?
XL bullies were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act on 31 October 2023, giving owners two months to prepare for the restrictions.
The dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled when out in public.
Selling, breeding, abandoning or giving them away is also now illegal.
People have until 31 January to apply for an exemption certificate to keep their dog – and must have it neutered, microchipped and insured.
Owners in England and Wales who fail to obtain an exemption by then will have to euthanise their dog or face a possible criminal record and fine.
Read more:
New rules come into force
How experts predict ban will change things
‘The UK government is still getting this wrong’
Mr Wilkinson believes owners should be responsible for taking care of their dog, but many could find themselves being priced out from getting their XL bully neutered, microchipped and insured.
He said: “Vets are making quite a sizeable profit off of this. With the cost of living crisis as well, it is putting people in precarious situations where they have to watch their pennies.”
A fundraiser set up to help Mr Wilkinson’s campaign has raised more than £16,000 so far.
He has already used some of the cash to buy kennels to help all the dogs he can in his local area.
Mr Wilkinson added: “I’ve also been helping people out with exemption certificates, muzzles, and fuel money for the transporters.
“My friend has taken on an XL puppy, so I paid for that pup’s surgery because it needed a hernia operation.”
Mr Wilkinson agrees with the Scottish SPCA and is opposed to a ban on a specific dog breed.
He instead believes the UK government should be targeting irresponsible ownership and low-welfare breeding practices.
He said: “It’s absolutely down to the owners. The government is looking at this wrong and they’ve done it since the 90s – they’ve targeted pit bulls, rottweilers… they tried it with dobermans as well.
“They are still getting this wrong. If they severely punished those who abuse these dogs, clamp down on illegal breeding and educate those who are looking to take on a large breed dog, a lot of these problems would go away.”
‘Scotland is not a safe haven for XL bully dogs’
Scottish government advisers currently do not believe the ban is required north of the border.
However, First Minister Humza Yousaf has sought fresh advice following reports of an influx of dogs being brought to Scotland in light of the restrictions.
He said the policy was being kept “under review”, stating: “I think it is important for us to make very clear that Scotland is not a safe haven for XL bully dogs.
“We do have a tight regime in relation to the control of dogs. But given what we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, it’s wise that that policy is immediately being kept under review.
“I’ve asked for some advice myself as first minister, not just on the current regime, but on what options there may be for us, in order to consider what more we may need to do in order to make sure that we keep people safe because that is our paramount priority.”
‘Any breed can be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands’
The Scottish SPCA said it has not seen an increase in the number of XL bully dogs being brought to its centres since the restrictions came into force.
The animal welfare charity said there is “no need for a caring owner” in England or Wales to move a dog to Scotland, and instead urged them to register their pets and comply with the conditions for exemption.
The Scottish SPCA said it fully supports legislation to protect the public and would comply with any future decision the Scottish government makes, but said it is opposed to a ban on a specific dog type.
A spokesperson said: “We believe that anyone found guilty of owning a dangerous dog that has been involved in an attack should be automatically banned for life from owning another dog.
“However, we are opposed to this ban on a specific dog type, which we believe is not the most effective way to protect the public.
“Instead, we believe any breed of dog can be potentially out of control and dangerous in the wrong hands.”
The Scottish SPCA instead wants to see an end to irresponsible ownership and low-welfare breeding practices and said it was “disappointed” the UK government hadn’t taken the opportunity to overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act.