Yousaf brings in XL Bully ban in Scotland

XL BULLY dogs are to be banned in Scotland, Humza Yousaf has announced, in a “humiliating” aboutturn after his refusal to follow Rishi Sunak’s crackdown led to an influx of the breed from England.

The First Minister confirmed his government would replicate the measures taken south of the border, introduced following a spate of attacks “to ensure public safety”. Mr Yousaf told MSPS that there had been “a flow of XL Bully dogs coming to Scotland” after the UK Government banned the breed in England and Wales. A ministerial statement with further details will be made next week.

The Tories welcomed the about-turn but said SNP ministers “wasted months playing political games” by refusing an invitation from the UK Government to implement the ban on the same date.

They said Mr Yousaf ’s government had been “blindsided” by the flood of XL Bullies being rehomed from England despite it being “inevitable”.

The SNP has blamed the UK Government ban for the situation but Michael Gove wrote to the party on Nov 13 asking to implement the ban on the same date “in light of the threat to public safety” to avoid “creating a potential ‘dumping ground’ for dangerous dogs”.

Siobhian Brown, the Scottish community safety minister, said in November that the current system of Scottish councils issuing dog control notices was a “proportionate approach” that focused on “deed not breed”. As recently as last week, Mr Yousaf insisted a ban was not needed because there was a “tight regime” of controls in Scotland compared with other parts of the UK.

But at First Minister’s Questions yesterday, he said: “What has become clear, I’m afraid in the last few weeks, is we have seen a flow of XL Bully dogs coming to Scotland, a number of people coming to Scotland to bring XL Bully dogs here to the country.”

Jamie Greene, a Scottish Tory MSP, said: “This is a humiliating U-turn ... The First Minister and his colleagues have wasted months playing political games and causing worry.”