Government set to announce new law banning breeding and owning of non-pedigree bully dogs

Government on Tuesday will be announcing the prohibition of breeding and keeping of non-pedigree bully breed dogs.

The new law will also make the breeding, purchasing, advertising and owning of mixed bully breed dogs illegal.

Owners of mixed breed or non-pedigree bully canines will not have their pet confiscated by the authorities, or be in breach of the law, if they were in possession of the dog before the legislation came into force.

The law will also clearly define bully breeds, and specifies which crosses will not be permitted. Owners looking to adopt or buy bully breed dogs can only do so from a recognised kennel club.

The debate around bully breeds in Malta is a longstanding one, and is sent into overdrive once an incident makes the rounds on social media and newspapers.

Earlier this year 27 bully breed dogs were rescued from a Ħaż-Żebbuġ residence in April.

The rescue saw a number of NGOs and the Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina calling for a temporary ban on the breeding of these dogs to curb their high rate of abandonment.

In her 2021 end of year report, Bezzina had called for a nation-wide ban on the importation and breeding of bully breeds. She argued that bull breeds account for many dogs which are abandoned by their owners and thrown out into the streets.

This year, government also launched free neutering of bully breeds in a pilot project, which Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights Alicia Buegja Said said is expected to be extended to include all breeds.

"Our aim is to continue to protect animal rights. In addition to renewing the neutering campaign for stray cats, we are also looking after the reproduction of certain dog breeds as most of them, unfortunately, end up abandoned," she had said.

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