Over 100 people answer Flintshire rescue’s call to help find homes for XL pups found dumped on Boxing Day

Over 100 people have responded to an urgent call by a Flintshire-based animal rescue to find homes for a litter of puppies – thought to be XL bullies – which were discovered dumped on Boxing Day.

North Clwyd Animal Rescue (NCAR) launched an appeal on Wednesday after four puppies were found abandoned in the St Asaph area during the early hours of Boxing Day.

The pups, comprising three males and one female, are believed to be around eight weeks old.

In their Facebook appeal, NCAR expressed the race against time to secure permanent homes for these dogs, highlighting the urgency due to impending legislation affecting XL Bully-type dogs.

From 31 December 2023, activities such as breeding, selling, advertising, rehoming, abandoning, and allowing an XL Bully dog to stray will become illegal.

Additionally, from this date, XL Bully dogs must be muzzled and leashed in public.

Starting 1 February 2024, owning an XL Bully dog will be illegal unless registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs.

NCAR stated, “Given their appearance, size, and their abandonment so close to the ban, we suspect they are XL Bullies. ”

“To safeguard their futures, we must treat them as XL Bullies until proven otherwise when fully grown.”

They added, “Given their potential XL Bully classification and the stringent rules surrounding exempted dogs, adopting these puppies is a lifelong commitment. Once rehomed, they cannot return to us or be transferred to another owner.”

The rescue emphasised that these puppies will grow into large, strong dogs requiring extensive training and socialisation to ensure they become well-adjusted adults.”

Two of the puppies have already been adopted, but NCAR appealed to those experienced with similar breeds to consider adopting the remaining pups.

The overwhelming response saw over 100 expressions of interest in the abandoned dogs within a few hours, prompting NCAR to close any further applications to home the pups.

NCAR added, “Time is crucial for these puppies, as homes need to be arranged by 31 December. We’re under immense pressure to make the right choices for them and will thoroughly review all applications to find the best matches.”

Last week, the RSPCA, opposed to the XL Bully dog ban, reported an increase in dog surrenders and abandonments across the rescue sector.

They expressed concern that this trend might worsen as the ban deadline approaches.

“The XL Bully dog ban is devastating for many dogs and is heavily impacting owners, rescue centre staff, and veterinary teams. There’s a significant risk of these sectors being overwhelmed by the demands of this law. We urgently need more information and support from the UK Government to assist affected owners and dogs, and to cope with the implications of this ban,” the RSPCA stated.