XL bullies: Republic of Ireland to restrict ownership of dog breed

XL bully dogs will be banned in the Republic of Ireland under new regulations announced by the Department for Rural and Community Development.

Importing, breeding, selling and re-homing will be prohibited from 1 October and it will be illegal to own an XL bully without a certificate of exemption from 1 February 2025.

Minister Heather Humphreys said the ban was in the “interest of public safety following a number of recent horrific attacks by XL bullies, which included the death of a young woman, Nicole Morey, in Limerick“.

In March Ms Humphreys established the group to examine dog control issues, chaired by a former senior garda (Irish police officer).

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris has also previously said he would like to see a ban and that there was a “clear need” for government action.

An XL bully is the largest kind of American bully dog.

The breed is a variant of the wider American bully, according to the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

They are described as large dogs “with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for [their] size”.

Ownership of XL bullies is subjected to strict controls in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In March Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir announced the breeding and selling of XL bullies would be banned in NI.

The ban came into effect earlier in July.

It remains remain legal to own an XL bully dog but they must be muzzled and kept on a short lead in public places.

In the rest of the UK, ownership of the dogs has been restricted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Since 31 December 2023 it has been against the law to sell, give away, abandon or breed from an XL bully.

Since 1 February 2024 it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully without an exemption certificate.

The ban came in following a series of attacks across the UK.

In the Republic of Ireland some types of dog, including German shepherds and Rottweilers, are restricted but there has never been a ban until now.

In Ireland, certificates of exemption will be issued subject to strict criteria, including a requirement for licensing, microchipping and neutering.

After 1 February 2025 any owner not compliant with the new regulations will have their dog seized and euthanised.

“I know a lot of people will not agree with this decision. I’m a dog owner myself and I know people love their dogs. We must be mindful however that no dog’s life is worth more than human life,” Ms Humphreys said.

The minister has allocated an additional €2m (£1.7m) in funding to local authorities to expand and improve their pounds and warden facilities.

James Madden, who is a vet and a member of the working group to examine dog control issues, previously told BBC News NI that Ireland was “seeing more and more XL bullies as the sale and breeding is not restricted here and more and more people want them so there is a market here”.

“It’s the potential to inflict injury that makes these dogs so dangerous. They’re incredibly strong and the force of their jaws have the ability to cause serious damage,” he said.

The total number of dog attacks investigated in Northern Ireland’s 11 councils for April 2023 to March 2024 is 1,581, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).

XL bully dogs are behind 48 of these attacks, with 30 of these resulting in injuries to persons or other animals, Daera said.