I have been concerned about the Government’s plan to ban XL Bullies from the beginning. I fear that it was announced as a knee-jerk reaction to reports of XL Bully attacks and has therefore not been fully thought through.

With regard to the deadlines for neutering/spaying, this is just another example of how a draconian, inflexible, one size fits all approach to this issue is causing problems for dogs and their owners.

The Government has already had to extend the deadline for younger dogs, following advice from veterinary professionals. I share concerns that not doing the same for adult XL Bullies will mean that many of them will not be neutered/spayed before the current deadline through no fault of their owners.

I have written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Barclay, and passed on these concerns to him. I have posted a copy of this letter below for you to see.

More broadly, my Opposition Colleagues and I have highlighted problems with the ban in Parliament and called on the Government to launch a full and total review of dog control legislation. In the short term, we need to press the Government to ensure that this ban does as little harm as possible.

Thinking more long term, I do not believe that we should base any kind of ban solely on a dog’s appearance. In my view, the current approach to dog control in this country is misguided and does not protect people adequately. I believe safety must be our top priority but without unnecessarily punishing dog owners or harming dogs that are not necessarily a risk.

In this vein, I have long believed that the Dangerous Dogs Act is in desperate need of reform or replacement.

Since it came into force, more people are being killed by dog attacks and more people are being admitted to hospital due to dog bites. At the same time, too many harmless dogs are being destroyed simply because they are a banned breed, regardless of their temperament.

I can assure you that I will continue to advocate for the replacement of the Dangerous Dogs Act with legislation that genuinely ensures public safety and that does not unnecessarily punish certain dogs and dog owners.