The High Court has granted an injunction to pause the power granted to dog wardens to seize or euthanise XL bully dogs, following concerns raised by animal welfare organisations that misidentified dogs could be mistakenly put down due to lack of a review process. The case was brought by six organisations against the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Attorney General, arguing that the definition of an XL bully in the regulation is vague and unfair.

The injunction will prevent the regulation from being enforced until February 27th, when the High Court will hear substantive arguments on how the Control of Dogs 2024 regulations relate to the XL bully breed. In October, it became illegal to import, breed, rehome, or resell XL bully dogs, with a ban on public ownership of the breed set to come into force unless owners have an exemption certificate showing the dog is licensed, microchipped, and neutered.

Mr. Justice Jordan emphasized the importance of allowing animals to stay alive until the case is fully determined, stating that a wrong decision could result in the death of a dog that should not be euthanised. While an injunction to halt a ban on dog shelters rehoming XL bully dogs was refused, the court’s decision aims to protect the welfare of the animals involved in the case.