IN THE wake of the announcement by government that the XL Bully breed of dogs is to be banned from October, Limerick Dog Shelter has said it will waive surrender fees for restricted breeds.
Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) and local Gardaí welcomed the announcement that the breed will be banned, following a number of recent attacks by XL Bullies, most recently in Limerick when 23-year-old Nicole Morey was mauled to death by her own dogs last month.
From October 1, new regulations will prohibit the importation, breeding, sale, and rehoming of XL Bullies. From February 1, 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully without a certificate of exemption.
Sinead Hourigan, LCCC administrative officer of veterinary services welcomed the ban, saying that XL Bullies are a “serious threat” to public safety.
“Recent weeks have tragically demonstrated that XL Bullies pose a serious threat to public safety,” Ms Hourigan said.
Garda Superintendent Andrew Lacey that Limerick Gardaí “welcome any measures that enhance public safety. Unfortunately, dog attacks have been on the rise in Limerick and elsewhere in the country.”
Until now, a €50 fee was required to surrender a dog to Limerick Dog Shelter, which has now been waived for dogs on the restricted breeds list.
The local authority said that every effort will be made to rehome dogs that enter Limerick Dog Shelter where it is appropriate to do so. Rehoming is done on a case-by-case basis after an assessment by the Dog Control Team.
