‘Furious’: Limerick councillor deems XL bully dog ban ‘outrageous’
Cllr Sarah Beasley claims the decision is a ‘knee jerk reaction’
AONTÚ Cllr Sarah Beasley has described the recently announced ban on XL bully dogs as “an outrageous decision”.
The announcement elicited a “furious” response from Cllr Beasley, who is an animal activist and a trained veterinary nurse. She feels the ban “has not been fully thought out and is essentially unworkable”.
She goes on to say that the announcement is “a knee jerk reaction which will drive the breed underground, and anything underground is dangerous”.
The ban comes after a number of recent attacks by the breed. Last month, 23 year-old Limerick woman Nicole Morey was attacked and killed by a dog in her home in Ballyneety.
From October 1 it will be illegal to breed, sell, import or rehome XL bully dogs.
From February 1, 2025 a ban will be put in place on owning an XL bully. Owners can get Certificates of Exemption from this ban if their dog is licensed, microchipped and neutered.
Any owner who does not comply with the new regulations from February onwards will have their dog seized and euthanized.
One issue Cllr Beasley has with the ban is that “there is no real definition as to what an XL bully actually is as it is a cross breed”.
She thinks it is “incredible that a government can slap a ban on without doing the correct pre consultation process with those who actually know what they’re talking about”.
Another issue raised by the City North councillor is the enforcement of the ban: “We have a desperate record with enforcement in this county; as it is, we can’t actually enforce the laws that are currently in place.”
The lack of an ISPCA inspector in Limerick, an issue she brought up at this Monday’s council meeting, is a concern for her.
While Cllr Beasley acknowledges that “bigger, stronger, restricted breeds have to be controlled”, she feels it is “unjust and unfair to tar all with the one brush”.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD says that, while she understands many people will disagree with the decision, it is important to remember that “no dog’s life is worth more than human life”.