THE MOTHER of Jack Lis has responded to the XL Bully ban with a warning that “bad breeders, owners and sellers will still be at large”.
Emma Whitfield, from Caerphilly, has been a fervent campaigner for new legislation around dangerous dogs since her 10-year-old son was killed by an American XL bully in November 2021.
From December 31, 2023, owners must keep XL bully dogs on a lead and muzzled when in public. From this date, it will be an offence to breed, sell, advertise, exchange, gift, rehome, abandon, or allow XL Bully dogs to stray.
From January 31, 2024, it will be illegal to own the breed unless it is registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs and is compliant with the requirements.
XL Bully dogs older than one year old on this date must be neutered by June 30, 2024. Dogs younger than one year old at this time must be neutered by the end of the year.
Posting to X (formerly Twitter) this evening, Ms Whitfield said: “It’s been nearly two years I’ve been without Jack and we are only just now seeing a response from Government.
“As much as I do agree with the ban because of what’s happened to us and all over the country, they can’t introduce this and think that it solves everything because it doesn’t.
“The bad breeders, owners and sellers will still be at large with many other breeds and this needs tackling too. My campaign focuses on these things and I will continue to speak out until we see change in those areas.
“Jack is behind everything I do and I will carry on fighting for him and other innocent victims,” she said.
It’s been nearly two years I’ve been without Jack and we are only just now seeing a response from Government. As much as I do agree with the ban because of what’s happened to us and all over the country, they can’t introduce this and think that it solves everything because it… pic.twitter.com/yLwlCQprnp
— Emma W #ForJackLis💙 (@Emma__Whitfield) October 31, 2023
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said the government was taking “quick and decisive action” to protect the public from dog attacks.
As part of the banning process, the government has also settled on a definition for the XL Bully breed:
The XL Bully breed type was developed through the crossing of various bull breeds, including the American Pit Bull Terrier.
The XL Bully breed type is a variant of the wider American Bully breed type. The XL Bully breed type is typically larger (both in terms of height and body shape) and more muscular than other Bully breed variant types such as the ‘Micro’, ‘Pocket’, ‘Standard’ and ‘Classic’.
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