I'LL HOME BANNED ENGLISH XL BULLY DOGS IN SCOTLAND

Rescuer tells of death threats after vow to open secret refuge

- SALLY HIND

A SCOTS animal rescuer says she has received death threats since vowing to provide a home for XL bully dogs banned in England.

Kerryanne Shaw, of All Bullie Charity Rescue, spoke as a bitter row over the future of the breed intensified ahead of the crackdown.

Restrictions on the breed in England and Wales came into force yesterday and a ban which has not been supported by the Scottish Government will begin in February.

Dog lovers have donated thousands to help Kerryanne's charity create a rescue facility in Scotland, at a secret location in the Dundee area.

Kerryanne said: "We've had emails wishing that our dogs will maul us and we die, and saying we're putting Scottish children at risk.

"It's a sad day for humanity that people think it's acceptable to attack volunteers in this way and we're already struggling with the impact the ban is having.

"These people say the dogs are dangerous and vicious but they are behaving as viciously as any dog I know." From yesterday, breeding, selling and advertising XL bullies became illegal south of the Border following several attacks.

In Scotland, dad-of-five Adam Watts was killed by one of the dogs while attempting to restrain it at Juniper Kennels in Kirkton of Auchterhouse, near Dundee, in December 2021.

In September, Prime Minster Rishi Sunak announced the ban following a spate of attacks, including the death of Ian Price, 52, in Walsall, Staffordshire.