Update on Lily
We are all truly devastated about what the legislation means for perceived XL Bully types in rescue kennels.
We have added a page to our website for ways in which you can support Lily and BARK generally. Please follow this link. We can not express how much your kind words have meant to us.
The last piece of legislation has now been published and this allows for rescues to apply to exempt a perceived XL Bully from 31st December until 14th January. After careful thought BARK has decided we are able to, at least try, to offer Lily a permanent place with us. This is not ideal but we have had lots of calls were perceived XL Bullies have been placed, by other rescues, in homes and the placement has broken down. These dogs now are unlikely to have a happy ending. We do not want the chance of this happening to Lily, so after a year of trying to rehome her it does not seam sensible to now try to place her last minute, with no time to make introductions and with no option for her to return to us.
B.A.R.K. received Lily’s exemption and she is now our #BARKPetForLife
We have already a written plan for enrichment of all our dogs in kennels but Lilly will now have a super enhanced version. She effectively became everyone who works or volunteers at kennels official pet.
The judicial review the week commencing 15th January 2023 of the legislation in place, the speed of placement etc. Sadly that review didn’t allow the restart of rehoming perceived XL Bullies, so nothing changed
Rescues were allowed to apply for exemption. As a rescue, we had two weeks from the 31st December to apply. This was our only option for Lily. We have had offers of support for Lily and we have set up a JustGiving Page that will support Lily and the other animals in our care
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/ourlily
It is not what we wanted for Lily. It will mean big changes in the way we do things. We will of course continue to monitor what is best for Lily, her safety, security and physical and mental health has always been and will continue to be our priority.
We have the exemption papers and Lily is safe with us. Unlikely those exempted in homes that came apply for a £25 policy that covers up to 4 dogs including XL Bullies our insurance policy cost over £1,000 extra and we had to pay an additional £500 for the 2 months before our renewal.
In an ideal world, we would have found Lily her forever home. So many perceived XL Bullies have been rehomed in the weeks prior to the ban and sadly we have had so many calls where the placement had broken down and there is no back up in place. Under the rules these dogs did not get a happy ending. One of the rules of a rescue registering a perceived XL Bully is they must have been in rescue since the 31st October. Our heart breaks for all those souls. With the Scotland ban now in place that pain is being incurred all over again.
Our Lily’s future will now be with BARK and it is our responsibility to make that the best it can be.
