A Moray mum has made it her personal mission to save XL bullies in England from destruction.
Taylor Stirling has been rescuing XL bully dogs by arranging lifts to the north and north-east for them before the December 31 deadline.
The 21-year-old mother-of-two from Keith makes regular trips to England in a horse transporter to save them from being put down.
A ban on the entire breed is set to come into force for England and Wales from the end of the month.
XL bully law imminent
After then it will be against the law to sell, abandon or let stray, give away and breed that particular type of dog.
Those left in shelters are set to be destroyed as part of the ban.
And Taylor, in partnership with a Newtonhill horse transporter, Annette Dean, has made five rehoming trips south of the border.
Taking requests from XL bully rehoming groups on Facebook, Taylor has been racking up the mileage helping to shuttle the dogs northward in Annette’s van.
Speaking to the P&J, she said: “We have been taking up a lot of XL bully dogs up to Aberdeen and the north-east.
“Time is running out now – we have only got today and tomorrow now then that is it.
Mum does five runs to save XL bullies
“I have personally done about five runs up and down, and I know others that have one planned for today to run some more dogs up to Inverness.
“We have also rehomed in Inverness, Forres, Peterhead, Aberdeen and Glasgow – a bit of everything.”
Taylor is resigned to the ban making its way up north but still protests its implementation in England, and is doing her best to save as many as she can.
“I think the ban will make its way up to Scotland eventually, I don’t think there is any getting around that,” she continued.
“I think a lot of people in England are struggling who have council properties, because banned breeds aren’t allowed there under any circumstances.
“So people with kids living there are having to choose whether to put their kids on the street or whether to give up their dog.
“It’s just not a nice situation to be in – it’s why we are just trying to help as much as we can.
“We are very privileged that we have our own private land and we can let the dogs roam free off the leash.
Rescuing XL bully from Sheffield
“We already have one, Terra, and have another one we are rescuing tomorrow from Sheffield.”
Taylor also insisted that no healthy dog should ever be put down no matter the breed.
She added: “I would hate for my dogs to be in that situation. I don’t think any dogs should be put to sleep – they’re happy and healthy.
“I know chihuahuas that are more aggressive than bullies!
“A happy healthy dog does not deserve to be put to sleep. Just the same as you would not put a healthy child to sleep.
“There are plenty of responsible owners out there that are more than capable of looking after them.
“Dogs reflect the owners.
“I myself have a one and a two year old and they are free to play with him all the time, it’s not been a problem for me.”
