away too long

I wonder if someone can advise:

Situation: We are expats living in Canada, we would like to return to the UK. We have three dogs, a Newf cross, Bouvier cross, and a mutt. The mutt came to us last year when someone called the humane society where I volunteer to surrender him, we were told he was a 12 year old mastiff cross. I took him in because the shelter is no place for a 12 year old dog!

And therein lies the problem.

He might well be a mastiff cross but he has enough of a look of pit bull about him to concern me. We have BSL here also, but he would be legal here because he is older than the ban.

I know the UK has BSL also. Is there any hope of me being able to bring him to the UK? I am in the process of getting him DNA tested for my own peace of mind, but I know that it won't mean anything and he will be judged on looks only.

Is there a list somewhere of the characteristics used to determine pit bull-ness? Or could I somehow have him evaluated here and then certified if he passes, so I know ahead of time that he will be allowed entry?

If there is any chance that he could be seized at the border I won't risk it. We would really like to move home though.

Thank you for any suggestions at all.

spouse of scouse

What a huge worry for you Like you, my understanding of BSL is that the dog is judged on looks alone, and that the onus is on the owner to 'prove' that they don't fall into the category of a dangerous/banned breed. Of course, it seems impossible to find out how to go about 'proving' this.

The only contact I could find which might be of use to you is from the UK Govt website, below. Hope others can help more. Best of luck

https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad/p...cheme-helpline

Contact the Pet Travel Scheme helpline for more information.
Pet Travel Scheme helpline
[email protected]
Telephone: 0370 241 1710
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (closed on bank holidays)

fulwood

Yep I am going to do research as well when time comes. I have lab retriever but some folks say she looks part pitbull. I need to do DNA test on her as not leaving my dogs behind when I return. I would like to know and will use the url posted in previous email to see what UK will accept as proof she is not part pitbull..good luck..

spouse of scouse

I found this document

http://web.archive.org/web/200703092...ogsleaflet.pdf



Strangely, although the publication is still mentioned on some UK Govt. web pages, the link takes you to a message that says it has been removed. I retrieved it from archives.

away too long

Thanks everyone.

I do not feel hopeful. I also asked on mumsnet and the response is not optimistic, basically that anyone can decide he is a pit bull and that's it, doesn't matter about DNA results or saying what kind of breed he is or the fact that he has never harmed anyone, etc.

For anyone else in this situation, I was told to contact DDA watch and Trevor Cooper at Dog Law to ask for help.

away too long

Spouse of scouse, I found this quote on page 5: If there is any doubt as to whether the dog in question could be considered to be of the prohibited type, the advice is NOT to bring it into this country.

I suspect that is very good advice. Means we are stuck here a while longer.

spouse of scouse

Yes, some of the info on UK govt web pages specifically states that DNA testing is not considered - it appears that if a police officer, council worker, etc thinks the dog has characteristics of a banned breed, then they will impound it and the owner's only recourse is to go through a lengthy and expensive legal process.

This very sad example (warning, the story is about a family dog being euthanized under breed specific legislation)
Lennox Killed Because of Breed Specific Legislation

spouse of scouse

Sadly I think you're right - not something I'd risk either. I'm really sorry

away too long

I know the Lennox story. Horrible.

I looked up the DDA watch website and mistakenly looked at the In Memory page. Loads of stories there (including Lennox's story) of innocent dogs being taken, some killed within an hour of being taken so owners have no opportunity to do anything, another story of a dog taken and the owner fought hard. The owner fought for 4 years and in that time he was allowed to see his dog once, for 30 minutes in a cage in the back of a police station. They killed the dog in the end anyway, and the owner ended up homeless due to legal debt.
I am not brave enough to take that chance. Seems like doesn't matter what you do it will ultimately be up to whoever is working at the airport when you get there.

colchar

I have to respect your decision to stay while you still have the dog as there are people out there who wouldn't do what is in the dog's best interests as you are.

away too long

Thanks colchar.

lgabriel73

There are so many dogs near me that are definitely pit bulls. Apparently since BSL came in there has been an increase in ownership of pits in the UK. No one seems to really pay much attention to them but that being said your problem lies with getting your dog through customs not so much having it once you are here. Sadly it will really depend on who is working that day and what their opinion is. For me I wouldn't take the chance that and I think it is probably the safest and best decision not to return while you have your dog.

Dashie

Would less attention be paid if the dog was coming from France by sea or tunnel than by air?

away too long

I thought of that too but I don't think it would work. My understanding is that the pet must have resided in the country that they enter from for 6 months, and they undergo all the same checks before they are allowed onto the train or ferry. I don't think France has BSL so there wouldn't be a risk of him being seized there, but it wouldn't actually help us get to England! And I'd rather be in Canada than France.

dunroving

Not sure I can help any, but on reading your thread, and being aware of the "pit bull problem" from living in the US, I decided to do a quick Google search on the pit bull vs. Staffordshire Bull difference. The first hit was this one:

Pit Bull Rescue Central

- I watch a lot of these dog rescue programs and enjoy the Paul O'Grady program "For the Love of Dogs". Battersea Dogs Home and other agencies run publicity awareness campaigns on how misunderstood Staffies are. Largely, the bad reputation of these types of dogs IMO is due to the idiots who own them for status reasons.

It is a real shame that responsible dog owners like the OP are affected by this knock-on effect of cultural labels attached to specific dogs. One might as well ban the importation of humans - after all, some of them kill and maim, don't they? The logic defies reason.