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Chamber and committees

Banning XL Bully Dogs is not the Answer

  • Submitted by: Christine Grahame, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party.
  • Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
  • Submitting member has a registered interest.

  • Motion reference: S6M-11778
  • Current status: Achieved cross-party support

That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the urgent need to protect the public from dangerous dogs, including in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency, following reports of recent serious attacks; notes that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 introduced breed-specific legislation, which, it believes, has failed in preventing dog attacks; commends the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010, which places responsibility on the owner, not the dog; notes the view that legislation is needed to promote responsible dog ownership, tackle bad breeding practices, improve animal welfare and protect public safety; considers, with concern, that the UK Government has rushed into banning a poorly-defined breed type; understands that the ban is not supported by animal welfare organisations; believes that it ignores the potential for unintended consequences and risks repeating the mistakes of the past, and notes reports that the Scottish Government is consulting to ensure that current or proposed legislation is fit for purpose in safeguarding public safety around dogs.


Supported by: Karen Adam, Ariane Burgess, Maggie Chapman, Kenneth Gibson, Emma Harper (Registered interest) , Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, John Mason, Stuart McMillan, Audrey Nicoll, Ash Regan, Mark Ruskell, Kevin Stewart, David Torrance