Kilkenny Gardaí issue warning to dog owners as XL Bullys are being found abandoned

An Garda Síochana in Kilkenny are reminding local dog owners of their responsibilities following a recent surge in XL Bullys being abandoned.

There has been a number of fatal dog attacks by the breed across the country over the past number of weeks.

Locally, two members of An Gardaí Síochana in Kilkenny and The Dog Warden responded to an incident in the early hours of Tuesday morning where two XL Bullys were found wandering in the Castlecomer area.

"The animals were not aggressive in any way and the circumstances of them being found wandering is being investigated so no comment can be made in this case," a spokesperson for Kilkenny Gardaí said.

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However, local Gardaí have warned dog owners that they must fulfill their 'obligations'.

"There are many legal obligations that come with dog ownership. These include microchipping, keeping under effective control in a public place, licensing, fouling and last but not least their welfare," a post to the Kilkenny Gardaí social media account read.

"With recent and indeed tragic news and publicity, the control of dogs is once again in the media both here and further afield. One possible byproduct of this is that many owners of Restricted breeds including XL Bullys are surrendering them to shelters or in some cases 'dumping' them. This is illegal and indeed reprehensible," the statement added.

Gardaí are reminding the public that restricted breeds must wear a muzzle in a public place and be under the control of someone 16 years or older, physically capable of controlling the animal and a lead of 6ft or less.