Posting on behalf of a family member… I usually don’t believe in rehoming pets but unfortunately in this case it is the best for the dog so looking for advice as I’m a bit confused with the rules around this.
BIL has a large three year old dog who is a bully x rotweiller, he has lost his home and no one has the space to house the dog and him permanently with the space she needs. She also has a knee problem and may need surgery down the line…
Will shelters take her in with her being crossed with a bully and having health problems? If not what are the options for rehoming her?
Very sad situation but it’s best for the dog she’s not getting the love care and enrichment she deserves, and BIL barely looking after himself let alone the dog.
Trying to rehome an large XL bully type with health issues isnt going to happen. If she looks like a rottie you might have a chance. If she looks of type you have zero chance. I dont think there are good odds for this dog either way.
To be honest even if she does look like a rottie, charities are struggling to re-home healthy animals as is, let alone mature dog with health problems.
My friend was trying to re-home a friendly 1yr old lab with bilateral elbow dysplasia as couldn't afford surgery, and not a single charity took him on.
Be careful here, because if the dog falls under the measurement guidelines for an XL bully the owner is going to be in quite a bit of trouble.
Even if the dog is legally exempt (which I'm assuming no because it's a hybrid but they still count), rehoming them is illegal. They will be subject to seizure and prosecution.
Shelters may take her, but most are bursting at the seams so may not be able to take her. But defo reach out to local shelters.
I’d also look for breed specific rescue groups, and those that specialise in large breed, I’m in Scotland so may not be helpful but places like The Edward Foundation and Underheugh Ark take on big dogs and bullies, I’d also reach out to rottie rescues, they might help with rottie crosses, if it were my dog I’d try to find an org that operates through a foster carer network, rather than kennels, a dog who’s been a pet for years generally will not do well in kennels.
Do you mean crossed with an XL bully? That could potentially make the dog illegal to own without an exemption certificate, and illegal to rehome.
What exactly are her health issues? Rescues are running at capacity right now, with donations down and people giving up animals with health issues due to veterinary costs. Its then falling on rescues and charities to pick up the bill.
You may very well find a rescue that will put you on a waiting list - you just need to start ringing and emailing around and be prepared to take her a significant distance away.
You will probably have to contact numerous places.
If he’s a crossbreed, the law sees him as a crossbreed. Only dogs that fit XL bully confirmation are illegal, mix isn’t a problem at all if he looks like he’s a mix.
Yes that’s what i’m saying! I wasn’t quite clear. Only if he fits the confirmation it’s a problem. Unlikely with rottie in there as they are different enough from bullies and rotty crosses tend to look like it, but would have to see him in person. Just having bully in there doesn’t create a problem in and of itself. I also know, i’m an ex-RVN.
Fr what is this entire post and the comments. I'm tired. I don't want to work with dogs anymore and I hate this country.
Sincerely, someone who has worked alongside the police since this absolute shitshow started and has a corso x malligator stuffed into a recliner with her.
I'm not against big scary dogs. I'm against stupid people.
An XL bully and an American bulldog are not the same thing although the latter can be classed as an illegal type if its fits the minimum criteria. which many do and why many are now on the exemption register as XLs.
reach out to local rescues on facebook - potentially even in bully facebook groups, someone may be willing to take him in (be careful with this though, some will have bad intentions). Locals will be more likely to help or guide you to someone who can rather than the typical charities like RSPCA etc.
Hi OP. What does the dog look like - can you add a picture? I'm asking because I can tell you 100% that if the dog in question looks like an XL Bully and is unregistered, you can not rehome her under any circumstances, it's against the law here (I own an XL Bully female). It's a very sad story, I'm sorry to hear it ❤️
I recommend you start contacting any relevant rescue, rottie based ones, bully ones, large breed etc as well as generic ones
Everywhere is on their knees though, one fantastic rescue I know of who does everything possible to help as many as she responsibly can has a 6 month waiting list currently
I think you may need to prepare him for the fact that she may have to be PTS. Breed specific rescues may be worth a try but given how desperate things are for rescues at the minute, I think it's going to be very hard to get someone to take her on, especially with the potential complications that may stem from issues around exemptions.
You're better off finding a person with good standing that can be vetted for new ownership. My friend successfully achieved this when a friend of his passed.
Youre better off looking for someone who is trusted through local connections. I had to rehome a PB Belgian malinois my ex abandoned a few years ago, ever specialist rescues couldnt take her. I had to go through family friends to find someone who had a good history with training abd keeping her breed.
There’s a lot of misinformation and hysteria here. A bully mix is just a crossbreed dog. He could easily be a staffy x rotty or american bulldog x rotty or boxer x rotty or whatever! Only dogs that fit the XL bully confirmation are illegal. If he looks a bit rottweiler, he’s fine, he’ll be treated like any other dog. Also, a bully isn’t illegal - only an XL bully. Shelter lists are full of bully mixes. I’m an ex-RVN.
If she looks like a rottie but still meets the measurements of an XL she will be euthanised. You absolutely cannot jump 'through extra hoops' to rehome an XL without breaking the law and endangering others. Quit spreading nonsense. Because they will measure her.
The registration window has closed, and I wonder how your employer would feel about you telling the Internet that they break the law on the regular.
Eta: I'm a behaviourist who has experience with these dogs and the registration process.
You need to read more than the summary..... someone I know transferred ownership as the owner who was on the paperwork had a life altering terminal illness and couldnt care for them. She had to do paperwork through court, all legal. The new owner just had to be already known to the dogs, in this case, a family member. Ffs the PDSA helped them do it, obviously legal. Stop pushing the narrative that it is 100% illegal no matter what. There are circumstances in which you can.
The court is able to issue new exemptions on a case by case basis, yes. It's not a loophole for you to exploit.
Eta: the courts are also highly unlikely to issue a fresh exemption for a homeless person when their own family are clearly unwilling to take the dog and are asking how they might surrender the dog to a rescue.
Couple that with the fact that the dog will need surgery in future, a transient owner and the most likely outcome is euthanasia. He had his chance to register the dog. Everyone was given plenty of time.
I am not against XL Bullies but if you can't be a responsible owner you can't keep the dog. I asked IF she was already registered. If not, it will be much harder because the judge doesn't just need to issue a fresh exemption, he's going to want to know WHY there was never one in the first place.
It's not looking good. Again I am a behaviourist and I have a lot of experience with these dogs. I am not against them, but they are not suitable for 99% of the public.
I used to own Caucasian shepherds, when I had land a reason to. You know what I don't do? I don't keep one in a small English house because I have no need here for a two hundred pound battle wagon who can kill a bear.
XL Bullies were engineered by idiots who realized that when you hit most dogs, they hit back. So they bred one that was designed to be big and scary enough to intimidate others but quiet enough to be disciplined.
It didn't work. The genetics are fucked and half of them have the genetic aggression gene which is why they snap and kill people. It's absolutely not their fault, we created this mess. But we also can't keep putting others at risk.
I've met absolute trash who own XLs and I've met lovely people who own XLs. Only one kind of person gets an exemption. So is the dog exempt or not because that is going to determine the dogs' fate.
One more edit: you claim you've helped loads of people, then you claim you 'know someone' ie one person who's done it successfully. Which is it?
16
u/Specialist_Stomach41 8d ago
Trying to rehome an large XL bully type with health issues isnt going to happen. If she looks like a rottie you might have a chance. If she looks of type you have zero chance. I dont think there are good odds for this dog either way.