American XL Bully
I know this will be very controversial. I was told that I should not write what I am about to. I know I am taking a risk. I am doing it anyway.
On 15 September, Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak announced that following the tragic death of a 52-year-old man in Birmingham the XL Bully will be banned under the Dangerous Dog Act. There have been multiple attacks and casualties linked to this breed recently and naturally, there is an emotionally charged discourse around this topic in the media. As often in these situations, two camps are trying to influence the public’s and the lawmakers’ opinions and they are equally loud. Of course, we have the victims and their families campaigning for safety and the dog parents and animal lovers who would do anything to protect these four-legged creatures. The former group is lobbying for stricter control whilst the latter crowd blames the people instead of the dogs for these attacks.
“It’s not the dog that’s the problem, it’s the owner.”
When I heard this statement, I suddenly felt like I had a dèjá vu. Haven’t I heard this or a similar remark somewhere before? Then it dawned on me. It is the biggest American gun lobbyist’s, the NRA’s favourite slogan. “Guns don't kill people, people kill people,” they say to underpin their argument why guns should not be banned or controlled. Thankfully, the attitude towards guns and gun ownership in the UK is significantly different to the US and I am certain that most of the people in this country would not support legislation that allowed the right to bear arms. We are on the other hand a nation of animal lovers and as such we cannot fathom seeing them objectively and considering the possibility that they can cause serious harm.
There is an immediate and a long-term problem to be tackled. These problems are multifactorial and one single act will certainly not solve this complex issue. Promoting responsible ownership is key and as a vet, this is where I can make a difference. I wholeheartedly agree that education is key in many societal issues, but education takes time; years if not decades and it must involve people from all walks of life. Waiting for educational reforms and their positive effects and not doing anything in the meantime is irresponsible. Blurting out populist slogans and appealing to people’s emotions is immoral, and fails to investigate, understand and deal with the underlying causes of the situation. Pointing fingers and playing the ‘blaming game’ is dangerous and could cost more tragedies.
