Innocent, healthy dogs have been killed in Scotland, many hundreds more England and Wales.  This does not have to happen to innocent dogs or to their owners who are caught up in some humans need to sell newspapers, to assert their power to kill other peoples' pets, to convince politicians who in order to keep their jobs agree to allow really unjust bad legislation to become law.  This petition aims to give these people one more chance to do something that will, if not end this nightmare, at least limit create some damage limitation.  If they do not listen then please do not vote for them next time around and find others who will listen to you and put them in power.  For those people who have followed this law when they had a chance not to, do not use their services again.  Put them out of business.

This includes all the MPs, MSPs and all UK politicians who have allowed this absolute hell for dogs, their owners, some vets and their staff who have killed innocent,healthy dogs, rescue centres who could have kept the dogs alive by fostering them to people or by exempting them or fighting for the rights of these animals more passionately and lastly anyone you know who has badly treated or killed any XL Bully dog because in Scotland the number of attacks on people has gone up in one year from 7 to 15.  The recent report by the STV shows how the media inflates these statistics to make their broadcasts more sensational and distorted.  You are being manipulated by the media, by some fanatics who overinflate statistics to exert their power over others and by politicians, most of whom do not have the integrity to balance the reduction of all dog attacks against the killing on innocent animals.

By the way there is according to the Court of Session in Scotland no way to challenge this unjust and barbaric legislation because it is a statutory instrument and the Parliament has the power to annul it and amend it and must be given the opportunity to do so.  This is the same with any law in Scotland. Your pet's breed of dog could be next.  Your life could be turned upside down and there would be nothing you could do about it.  

The following MSPs were on  two committee that are meant to scrutinise legislation 

DPLRC - Stuart McMillan, Bill Kydd, Foysol Choudhury Scottish Labour, Oliver Mundell Scottish Conservative and Jeremy Balfour Conservative.

They found nothing wrong with the legislation  and rubber stamped it.

Criminal Justice Committee

All MSPs are allowed to attend this but only Christine Grahame (submitted the motion to annul this part of the SSI as she did with the first part of the ban), and one other attended - both SNP - no Scottish Green,  Scottish Labour,  Scottish Conservative or Scottish Lib Deb MSP showed their support

Those on the Committee who voted not to annul it even though they on the whole agreed that it was bad legislation and had negative consequences as discussed above.

The MSPs on this Committee that voted to criminalise any owner of an XL Bully type dog who would not or could not comply with legislation that is as clear as mud and bad legislation are:-

Convener
Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
Deputy convener
Russell Findlay (West Scotland) (Con)
Committee members
Katy Clark (West Scotland) (Lab)

Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con)

Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)

Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)

John Swinney (Perthshire North) (SNP)

Attended

The following also participated:
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)

Siobhian Brown (Minister for Victims and Community Safety)

Jim Wilson (Scottish Government - team leader for licensing and a strong supporter of the Dangerous dogs Act 1991)

Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) The only MSP who came to this meeting

 

 

Fight to protect one breed and fight to introduce legislation that tackles all dangerous dogs no matter the breed.  

This ban in Scotland is not about saving victims of dog attacks.  It is about a clash between English and Scottish Governments.  If it was about preventing dog attacks then there are other breeds of dog that kill, maim and traumatise people but these breeds of dog are not being victimised.

If both governments want to save all people from all dog attacks this is not the way to do it.  It is discrimination of dogs and discrimination of people because all dogs could attack at any time and all people deserve to be kept safe by policiticians.  They do not deserve to be used as political pawns or by newspapers and tv channels to make money from exploiting them.

I really believe that the Scottish Minister for Victims and Community Safety does not support this legislation.  She shows her confusion and lack of sincerity in the interview with her below.  She also does it every time she talks about closing a loophole to stop English dogs being dumped on Scotland (Nationalism and borderline hate crime); every time she quotes figures on the number of dogs that have died and owners have recieved a contribution towards their culling but does not quote all the other dogs that have died due to cruelty, neglect, confinement etc as a result of this ban and does not include dogs that have been killed by the Police in dog kennels or on the street when the dog killed has been the dog that was defending itself from another dog that was off lead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFis4ZFozUM&t=1s

The Minister for Victims and Community Safety in Scotland believes that she knows better than all of the experts.  She doesn't and nor does the First Minister or the Scottish Conservative or Scottish Liberal Democrats. The Scottish Labour Party are doing nothing even though they have quoted statistics in Parliament that counter the GOvernment's statistics and approach.  They too should be shunned in the next election.  They claim they are doing this because English XL Bully Dogs were in The Ministers own words "dumped on Scotland" like garbage.  There are better ways to track an English XL bully who has been rescued here by people who want to help.  Has she not heard of microchip records.  They trace current and previous addresses.  Want to know if an English XL Bully dog was smuggled into Scotland - consult the chip and maybe contact the previous owner to pay a fine or a contribution to that dog's welfare.  Scottish voters have  long memory - remember that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coconut a puppy, was abandoned by her owner.  She was found by police officers and taken to Hope Dog Rehoming Centre in Wales, who decided that they had no alternative but to euthanise her.  She was given a McDonalds and treated with love by kennel assistants on her last day. The vet and veterinary nurse then administered the fatal injection and watch her short life fade away from her.  Vets don't have to PTS healthy dogs.

But this is not just about Coconut or innocent dogs like her. It is about all dogs and all owners.  Today, tomorrow or in the future you, your child, a colleague, visitors to Scotland could be attacked by any dog who has become dangerous due to neglect, deliberate training by the owner or because the dog is ill.  The breed is irrelevant except that bigger dogs can cause more severe injury or death if they attack.   That is why the Dangerous Dog Act does not work.  Banning specific breeds is a drop in the ocean and in targeting specific breeds and not specific dogs or more importantly irresponsible owners who create dangerous dogs, the Scottish Government is putting every Scottish resident or visitor to Scotland at risk every day.  At the same time they are causing misery and worry for the responsible owners of dogs that are on or to be on the DDA dog list.   At any time the Scottish Government could add to that list - maybe your dog's breed will be next and if it is you will understand the problem.  Dangerous dogs will still be free to roam without a lead, without a muzzle and attack people and dogs at any time.

This is a link to a description of the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) by Battersea Dogs Home.  Please watch it - it is only a few minutes long

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa4kPAhebbg

The Scottish Government is reacting recklessly by ignoring expert advice from the Police, animal welfare organisations, dog wardens, dog legislation officer, vets and their staff, rehoming centres and their staff and responsible owners to name a few.  Everyone in Scotland will be affected by this ban as anyone and any animal could be attacked by a dog at any time.

Evidence given by English Police force Chiefs who agree that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 does not work.

https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/8182/pdf/​

https://randd.defra.gov.uk/ProjectDetails?ProjectID=19861  This link shows the intransigence of Defra representatives at the Committee questioning.

Middlesex University Report

One recommendation to the UK Government was to commission a research report, the The Middlesex University Report.  

Middlesex University report - The Defra Commissioned report "Investigation of measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible ownership amongst dog owners with dog control issues in the UK" was published in February 2021.

"The recent report by Middlesex University, commissioned by the Government at a cost of £71,621, has now cast doubt on one of the core assumptions of the Dangerous Dogs Act: that certain breeds of dogs are inherently more dangerous. The Government should therefore immediately repeal breed specific legislation." 

The UK Government in response to the Middlesex University report conceded that the Breed Specific Legislation did not work but that alternative measures needed to be in place before it could be repealed. It then ignored this declaration and failed to seek out alternative measures even though those measures were contained in the University report. 

In summarising its findings, the Middlesex University review did identify some key themes, including the difficulty of linking behavioural problems to specific dog breeds:

"Both the literature we analysed, and the evidence provided by research, participants indicated difficulties in identifying which breeds are most likely to present behavioural problems that result in dog attacks or strikes. Elsewhere, we note the difficulties of classifying dog attacks and dog bites as inherently linked to problems of aggression. The veterinary literature and our interview data identify multiple causes, such that any arguments that dog attacks are linked to particular breeds, becomes difficult to sustain." 

"being in unfamiliar settings, provocation by humans, understanding the individual dog’s needs and characteristics by owners and responsible persons."

The Middlesex University report's recommendations focused on several areas and included the following: 

"Improved recording of data on dog attacks, including types of incidents.
Introduce a statutory enforcement duty for local authorities
Promote better information sharing between enforcement authorities
Implement greater use of preventative enforcement models for low level dog control issues
Update guidance to encourage greater usage of community protection notices (CPN)
Accreditation of dog trainers and dog awareness courses for those with dog control issues

New legal requirements on dog ownership including checks on previous history and demonstration of a minimum standard of dog knowledge."

The evidence past and present of animal welfare groups and associations, vets and their, dog wardens, police chiefs, local authorities etc is still stating the same findings and opinions today

Dec 2023 British Veterinary Association
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/dangerous-dogs-act-1991-and-dog-control/

"What's our view?
We oppose breed-specific legislation. Whilst we recognise the potential harm caused by large, powerful types of dogs if they display aggressive behaviour is of greater concern than that caused by smaller dogs, all dogs, whatever their breed type or size, are capable of showing aggression.

Canine aggression and dog biting incidents are complex public health and social issues, which require multifactorial prevention strategies.

We’re calling on the UK government to repeal of Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) and prioritise an evidence-based, ‘deed-not-breed’ approach to dog control legislation. This can be achieved through:

Effective enforcement and consolidation of existing dog control legislation;
Commissioning additional research and establishing a centralised dog biting incident database to allow for more effective data recording; and
Promoting safe dog-human interactions and responsible ownership through education and campaign programmes." 

The "unforeseen consequences" that are regularly cited as being as a result of Breed Specific Legislation has been known by the UK Government for many years. This is not just about killing innocent dogs - many sectors of society are affected by this ban.

Amendments that the Scottish Government can do now:

• recognise that this is a complex situation with consequences that were not appreciated when the legislation was introduced by the UK Government.  Do not replicate it improve on it.
• introduce safeguards for tenants who have dogs and whose lease allows dogs as long as they are under control but who are now at risk of being evicted due to landlords refusing to allow them to keep dogs on the banned dogs list. Many landlords understand that applying for an exemption for their XL bully type dogs means that they are not on the banned dogs list or register and they are responsible owners.
• allow all dog rehoming centres to assess and rehome dogs that can be exempted from the DDA List under Section 1. I agree with stronger regulation of the breeding of all dogs, the neutering of all dogs unless owned by registered breeders and the encouragement to rehome dogs from rescue centres -once they are assessed and trained eg in muzzle and lead training, obedience training, etc. This would prevent dangerous dogs and also reduce the number of dogs being bought from breeders when there are already too many dogs. This is the humane way to deal with a situation that is not of the dogs making but due to human decision eg to buy a dog during covid and then to get rid of it when the owner is back at work.   The word rehome is not mentioned in the DDA (1991).  The rehoming centres can vet dogs and potential dog owners including doing home checks.  This would all owners who do not wish to keep their dogs to find them a good, responsible owner and to transfer the exemption certificate to the new owner thereby maintaining a trail of ownership.  This could be allowed under the current legislation with the Scottish Ministers permission.
• dog owners are worried that if their circumstances change their dog or dogs will be killed.  Please allow more than one person to be the registered keeper and if their circumstances change allow them to find a new owner (a fit and proper person) via a dog rehoming shelter.  Make it clear that if an owner dies or is seriously ill that under the DDA 1991 the dog can be rehomed as long as the new owner knows the dog is a fit and proper person.
• introduce ways that the Government can assist people who cannot afford the exemption costs to pay for these rather than offer them a payment to euthanise a pet who is part of the family. This might include a reduced fee for those on benefits or on the minimum wage and interest free loans for the equipment, insurance etc
• introduce ways that the Government can assist the homeless with XL Bully type dogs, and those with emotional and physical support dogs
• investigate how the government can introduce measures that will enable dog owners and prospective dog owners training in dog behaviour and control and a more robust accreditation of behaviourists who have taken the necessary training to offer their services
• support the installation of secure dog runs in public parks where dogs can be off lead and muzzled but in a secure environment (These already exist in many towns but there is a need for more to ensure animal welfare issues and to reduce the risk of dogs becoming frustrated at their new restrictions and owners becoming too anxious to walk their dogs due to verbal abuse for having their XL Bully type dog
• reduce the effect on many peoples mental health by avoiding euthanasia except as a last resort when a dog is assessed as being dangerous rather than the go to measure that the current uk Government is advocating with serious and tragic consequences to humans and dogs.
• offer more support for dog wardens, re-homing centres, police officers, dog legislation enforcement officers so that they make the correct decisions re whether to seize a dog or to issue a control order. The service offered across the country for these services is patchy and needs to be more uniform and for more resources to be put into Dog Control measures and in order that irresponsible and criminal owners are dealt with - especially those who are cruel to animals or use them for criminal activities
• education for children as is the case in parts of Europe and the USA. Children need to learn how to behave around dogs, how to interact with them and when to avoid them eg when they are chewing a bone, not to hug a dog they do not know etc but also to send information out to parents so that schools and parents are working together.
• reduce the time dogs spend in kennels while awaiting a court hearing to declare a dog as dangerous, or apply local authority dog control measures rather than go to court. Time in kennels can make dog dangerous due to lack of welfare provision.  Perhaps replicate the Doggy bail measures that allow dogs home pending a court hearing if it is assessed by experts as not being dangerous.  Some dogs are being returned to owner after having been in kennels for months even years.  These dogs are often emaciated, have been neglected and their welfare has been ignored.   Yet still the Police use the same kennels.  This is barbaric and must stop now.

If you really believe in the approach "deed not breed", that it is human irresponsibility, human failings, cruelty and the misuse of all dogs that leads to dog attacks and that all people and animals need to be protected from all dangerous dogs then please sign this petition and lets start to protect, educate and train everyone how to look after dogs. We owe it to them and to every person or animal who might be attacked by any dog in the future.

Please email your MSP - we need to have the XL Bully measures for Scotland annulled and to have a full Parliamentary debate.  Ask your MSP to demand to have the Statutory Instrument Order 2024/70 annulled under the Scottish Statutory Instrument Negative Procedure.  Ask him or her to submit a motion to annul this SSI and stop this carnage before it is too late.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cruelty to XL Bully Dog mother whose 3 puppies died