A MAN raced XL Bullies to Scotland on Hogmanay to avoid them being caught up in the dog ban.
Yesterday, it became illegal to sell, rehome and breed American XL Bullies in England and Wales amid a huge crackdown by PM Rishi Sunak.
2
2
But owners and breeders have been racing to get the beasts to Scotland, where ministers are not following England’s lead with the ban.
One man had a last-minute dash on Hogmanay to get two dogs north before January 1.
Sammy Wilkinson drove 200 miles from the Black Country with two XL Bullies in his motor.
The West Midlands man is understood to have transported over 30 dogs and rehomed them in Scotland.
READ MORE ON THE XL BULLY BAN
And on Hogmanay, he shared a picture of him and the animals on social media.
He said: “I’m absolutely exhausted and my car is falling apart but you’re not killing these Rishi Sunak, now it’s a race to the Scottish Border before midnight.”
An influx of the monstrous mutts has been sent north of the border before the new law came into force – which charity Bully Watch warns will overwhelm Scots dog shelters.
They have also warned the difference in the law could lead to rogue breeders setting up shop in Scotland.
A fundraiser was even set up for Wilkinson, with the organiser writing: “Sammy is currently driving Day and Night from the Black Country to Scotland, each time taking a group of XL bullies with him and finding them new homes in Scotland.
“About 30 dogs so far he’s saved and he’s still going!”
In a recent post on social media, Mr Wilkinson said the over £9k in cash raised would be going towards building a dog shelter in the future and helping XL owners apply for exemption licences.
He wrote: “I am going to be building and opening a fully heated and insulated kennel. No dog will ever know a cold hard floor whilst they are waiting in there. It will be used to hold abandoned and lost dogs until either their owners or forever homes come forward.”
We previously told how XL Bullies were being sold online at reduced prices a day before they were banned.
One XL Bully was found tied up and burned to death with one of its ears sliced off in an alley in south London just hours before the ban was introduced.
As of yesterday, all XL Bullies in England and Wales must be muzzled after they were added to the dangerous dog list.
From February 1, it will be a crime to own an XL Bully without an exemption.
There are currently only four dog breeds banned in the UK; Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Toso and the Pit Bull Terrier.
Owning a banned dog can result in an unlimited fine and a prison sentence of up to six months.
Why are XL Bullies being banned in England?
Rishi Sunak announced the XL Bully ban in September after the breed was linked to deadly attacks – including some on children.
The new law was proposed after one man was killed by an XL Bully in a horror attack on September 14.
Ian Price, 52, died while reportedly protecting his elderly mum from one of the vicious dogs in Stonall, Staffordshire.
The new legislation sparked fierce debate over the deadly breed – with some agreeing the powerful dogs should be outlawed while others insist it is bad owners to blame and not the animals.
Rangers star Todd Cantwell is one of those who has come out defending the breed. Owners have even protested in London and Glasgow against the ban.
Have there been XL Bully attacks in Scotland?
We previously reported how three children in Forfar were attacked just weeks apart by an out-of-control XL Bully called Zeus before his owners sent him to a new home.
In September, an XL Bully owner told The Scottish Sun how her powerful pet called Piglet ripped off her thumb and mauled her husband after the crazed mutt turned on her “out of the blue” at home.
In October, a Motherwell teenager was savagely attacked by his XL Bully, leaving the 18-year-old lad in need of surgery.
We previously told how a Scots mum backed the ban as she revealed she thought her teenage daughter would never recover after being savaged by a vicious dog.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
The attack came just months after Angus dog trainer Adam Watts was killed by an XL Bully in December 2021, just days before Christmas.
But one Aberdeen woman said she trusts her beloved XL Bully so much that she is comfortable with him being around her nine-month-old daughter and even lets him lick the tot’s face.