A DOG has died after it was shot by gardai in Limerick city during the early hours of this morning.
The dog, believed to be a type of XL Bully, similar to dogs that appear on Ireland’s restricted dog breeding list, was shot and injured around 4am.
The dog was taken from the scene to a veterinarian for treatment but was later pronounced dead from its injuries, sources said.
The shooting occurred at an address on the south side of Limerick city.
In the moments prior to the shooting, gardai had been pursuing a suspect thought to have discarded an item of evidential value into the curtilage of a house.
Upon searching this area, aardai encountered a dog and at least one shot was discharged resulting in the dog being seriously wounded.
A garda spokesperson said they were preparing a statement in respect of the incident.
Ireland’s ban on XL Bully dogs came into full effect last month.
Former Rural and Community Development Minister Heather Humphreys announced the ban last summer, with the first phase kicking in last October and the second phase coming into play on February 1.
The move came following a number of “horrific” attacks by XL Bullies last year, with Department claiming that the ban is in the interest of safety.
Minister Humphreys explained at the time: “These new regulations will ensure that, from October, nobody in the State can take ownership of these dangerous dogs and that it will be illegal to breed, sell, import, rehome, exchange, gift or abandon XL Bully dogs.”
She added: “I know a lot of people will not agree with this decision. I’m a dog owner myself and I know people love their dogs.
“We must be mindful however that no dog’s life is worth more than human life. Ultimately that is what guided me in making this decision.”
This will be the first time a dog has been fully banned in Ireland —until now, the state has followed a restricted breed list with 11 dog breeds included.
The first phase of the ban began on October 1, 2024, making it illegal to import, breed or re-sell XL Bullies.
An XL bully dog is the largest of the American Bully Breed and is usually a mix of a number of breeds – including an American pit bull terrier.
Then on February 1, 2025, owning an XL Bully in Ireland will be illegal.
This applies to all XL bully dogs except in cases where owners have a “Certificate of Exemption”.
Penalties for the XL bully ban will align with penalties outlined in the Control of Dogs Act.
Any person found guilty of an offence could face a fine of up to €2,500 and up to three months in prison.
In addition, any dog found stray or abandoned will be seized by the dog warden and may be put down after five days unless claimed.
