Boo in line for a job at CSPCA

By Finnian Cox

An animal charity has said an XL Bully called Boo will become part of the team if she is not adopted by next February.

The Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) said Boo will remain at the kennels unless she is adopted by 1 February. The announcement comes amid new legislation on the breed.

Since Tuesday 1 October, it has been illegal to import, breed, rehome or resell an XL Bully. However, animal shelters with XL Bullys already in their facilities have until 1 February 2025 to re-home or export them.

After 1 February, it will become illegal to own the breed without an exemption certificate, which allows owners to keep their XL Bully at a particular location for the rest of its life. To qualify for the certificate of exemption, the dog must be microchipped, neutered and licenced. Applications must be submitted to the local authority before 31 January.

The CSPCA said in a post on social media it has spent several months looking for a suitable home for Boo but have had no success. The charity said there have been prospective adopters, but issues around details such as owning other dogs, owning other animals and whether they have an enclosed garden or not has led to them being deemed ‘unsuitable’. The organisation said it was their job to “make sure that the home gives our dogs, cats and other pets security and is a permanent home”.

The CSPCA said Boo is a lovely dog, but as she grows older, she will face issues relating to her health that will be worsened by her size.

“The cost of the medication is not an issue, and never was. As she is quite large, she will be putting extra pressure on her joints, which will affect her quality of life as she gets older. This sometimes can be hard to bear when you have someone adopting who knows they may only have a few years with them,” they said.

They added: “Boo will stay here and be used as one of our training dogs for the warden service if she is not adopted by 1 February with this new extension.”

The CSPCA said that while she will be a part of the team, the best thing for Boo would be a loving home, and they encourage anyone who may be eligible to apply. Also addressed in the post was misinformation being spread online regarding the new legislation, with false claims that the dogs would be seized by officials within days.