Unlicensed XL bully dogs to be banned in Scotland, Scottish government confirms

Published

1 year ago

January 11, 2024

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Unlicensed XL bully dogs will be banned in Scotland, the Scottish government has announced.

Humza Yousaf initially confirmed the move during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, saying the decision would “in essence, replicate” UK legislation after the country saw an influx of dogs being rehomed north of the border.

Holyrood later confirmed the legislation would mirror the UK government’s – with the tight safeguards making it a criminal offence to own the breed without an exemption certificate.

The move follows new regulations that have come into force in England and Wales after a spate of attacks in which people have died or been injured by the breed.

Mr Yousaf said: “We recognise that the vast majority of dog owners are responsible animal lovers.

“However, now that we know the full implications for Scotland of the UK government’s measures, we are urgently bringing forward new safeguards on XL bully dogs.

“It is essential Scotland is not adversely impacted because of any loopholes created as a consequence of the introduction of the UK government’s policy in England and Wales.

“Recent reports of XL bully dogs being moved to Scotland from south of the border are concerning and it’s important we do not become a dumping ground for the breed, leading to unacceptable risks to public safety and animal welfare.

“We will be working at pace to bring forward necessary regulations to mirror the system introduced in England and Wales as soon as possible.

“We will continue to engage with key stakeholders going forward and to offer practical support to help owners comply with these new safeguards.”

Community safety minister Siobhian Brown had earlier warned Scots not to buy XL bully dogs “at the present time”.

The MSP issued the advice after claiming the UK government’s policy had led to an “influx of XL bully dogs coming to Scotland”.

What are the rules?

XL bullies were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act on 31 October 2023, giving owners in England and Wales two months to prepare for the restrictions.

The dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled when out in public.

Selling, breeding, abandoning or giving them away is also now illegal.

Those in England and Wales have until 31 January to apply for an exemption certificate to keep their dog – and must have it neutered, microchipped and insured.

Owners who fail to obtain an exemption by then will have to euthanise their dog or face a possible criminal record and fine.

‘You should be standing by your dog’

XL bully owner Lauren Ballantyne, from Fife, said responsible owners shouldn’t have an issue complying with the replicated regulations.

The mum-of-two, who has a 21-week-old pup called Soprano, told Sky News: “If you had the money to buy the dog in the first place, you should be sticking by your dog.

“And if it takes for you to have to neuter it, muzzle it and microchip it, if you are a responsible owner that’s what you should be doing.

“You should be standing by your dog, not giving it away or rehoming it. It’s as simple as that.”

Ms Ballantyne, who is attempting to get over a fear of dogs, said Soprano will begin muzzle training this weekend.

She added: “I don’t think a ban is the answer. It’s down to the dog owners.”

‘Any breed can be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands’

The Scottish SPCA earlier told Sky News it had not seen an increase in the number of XL bully dogs being brought to its centres since the restrictions across the border started.

The animal welfare charity said it will comply with the Scottish government’s decision but remains opposed to a ban on dog breeds.

Instead, the Scottish SPCA believes the answer lies in targeting irresponsible ownership and low-welfare breeding practices as “any breed of dog can be potentially out of control and dangerous in the wrong hands”.

A spokesperson for the charity added: “We urge the Scottish government to ensure that any legislation is introduced with a sufficient transition period, to ensure that owners have the time and support needed to be able to exempt their dogs.

“We also call on the Scottish government to ensure that the teams responsible for enforcing this law have the resources and training they need before the ban begins, to ensure that no more dogs than absolutely necessary become caught up in this.”

Politics

US court pauses 18-state lawsuit against SEC after agency’s leadership change

Published

6 hours ago

April 17, 2025

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US court pauses 18-state lawsuit against SEC after agency’s leadership change

A US federal judge has agreed to pause a lawsuit filed by 18 state attorneys general and the crypto lobby group DeFi Education Fund against the Securities and Exchange Commission after all parties said new SEC leadership could make the action moot.

Kentucky District Court Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ordered a 60-day stay on the case on April 16, noting a mid-March filing from the SEC that “this case could potentially be resolved” due to a leadership transition at the regulator.

He added that the parties must file a joint status report within 30 days.

Paul Atkins, a Wall Street adviser who has held board positions with crypto advocacy groups, was sworn in as the new SEC chair earlier this month, replacing acting chair Mark Uyeda and taking over from Gary Gensler.

The 18 attorneys general, all hailing from Republican states, filed the lawsuit with the DeFi Education Fund against the securities regulator in November, alleging that the SEC exceeded its authority when targeting crypto exchanges with lawsuits, accusing the regulator and then-chair Gensler of “gross government overreach.”

The plaintiffs included attorneys general from Nebraska, Tennessee, Wyoming, Kentucky, West Virginia, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi, Ohio, Montana, Indiana, Oklahoma and Florida, among others.

“Without Congressional authorization, the SEC has sought to unilaterally wrest regulatory authority away from the States through an ongoing series of enforcement actions,” the lawsuit stated.

DeFi groups drop case against IRS over killed broker rule

Meanwhile, the DeFi Education Fund, Blockchain Association, and Texas Blockchain Council dropped their lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service on April 16.

“The parties hereby stipulate to voluntary dismissal of this action without prejudice because the case has become moot,” stated the filing.

The lawsuit, filed in December, argued that the so-called IRS DeFi broker rule went beyond the agency’s authority and was unconstitutional.

On April 11, President Donald Trump signed a bill to revoke the rule that would have required DeFi protocols to report transactions to the IRS.

It comes as the SEC has paused or dropped several high-profile lawsuits against crypto companies this year under its new leadership.

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Politics

Panama’s capital to accept crypto for taxes, municipal fees

Published

13 hours ago

April 16, 2025

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<div>Panama's capital to accept crypto for taxes, municipal fees</div>

Panama’s capital city will accept cryptocurrency payments for taxes and municipal fees, including bus tickets and permits, Panama City mayor Mayer Mizrachi announced on April 15, joining a growing list of jurisdictions globally that have voted to accept such payments.

Panama City will begin accepting Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Circle’s USDC (USDC), and Tether’s USDt (USDT) stablecoin for payment once the crypto-to-fiat payment rails are established, Mizrachi posted on the X platform.

Mizrachi said previous administrations attempted to push through similar legislation but failed to overcome stipulations requiring the local government to accept funds denominated in US dollars.

In a translated statement, the Panama City mayor said that the local government partnered with a bank that will immediately convert any digital assets received into US dollars, allowing the municipality to accept crypto without introducing new legislation.

Panama City joins a growing list of global jurisdictions on the municipal and state level accepting cryptocurrency payments for taxes, exploring Bitcoin strategic reserves to protect public treasuries from inflation and passing pro-crypto policies to attract investment.

Taxes, Panama, Bitcoin Adoption — *Source:* *Mayer Mizrachi*

Municipalities and states embrace digital assets

Several municipalities and territories around the globe already accept crypto for tax payments or are exploring various implementations of blockchain technology for government spending.

The US state of Colorado started accepting crypto payments for taxes in September 2022. Much like Panama City said it will do, Colorado immediately converts the crypto to fiat.

In December 2023, the city of Lugano, Switzerland, announced taxes and city fees could be paid in Bitcoin, which was one of the developments that earned it the reputation of being a globally recognized Bitcoin city.

The city council of Vancouver, Canada, passed a motion to become “Bitcoin-friendly city” in December 2024. As part of that motion, the Vancouver local government will explore integrating BTC into the financial system, including tax payments.

North Carolina lawmaker Neal Jackson introduced legislation titled “The North Carolina Digital Asset Freedom Act” on April 10. If passed, the bill will recognize cryptocurrencies as an official form of payment that can be used to pay taxes.

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Politics

Fed’s Powell reasserts support for stablecoin legislation

Published

16 hours ago

April 16, 2025

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<div>Fed's Powell reasserts support for stablecoin legislation</div>

As digital assets gain mainstream adoption, establishing a legal framework for stablecoins is a “good idea,” said US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

In an April 16 panel at the Economic Club of Chicago, Powell commented on the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry, which has delivered a consumer use case that “could have wide appeal” following a difficult “wave of failures and frauds,” he said.

Fed's Powell reasserts support for stablecoin legislation

Powell delivers remarks at the Economic Club of Chicago. Source: Bloomberg Television

During crypto’s difficult years, which culminated in 2022 and 2023 with several high-profile business failures, the Fed “worked with Congress to try to get a […] legal framework for stablecoins, which would have been a nice place to start,” said Powell. “We were not successful.”

“I think that the climate is changing and you’re moving into more mainstreaming of that whole sector, so Congress is again looking […] at a legal framework for stablecoins,” he said.

“Depending on what’s in it, that’s a good idea. We need that. There isn’t one now,” said Powell.

This isn’t the first time Powell acknowledged the need for stablecoin legislation. In June 2023, the Fed boss told the House Financial Services Committee that stablecoins were “a form of money” that requires “robust” federal oversight.

Support for stablecoin legislation is growing

The election of US President Donald Trump has ushered in a new era of pro-crypto appointments and policy shifts that could make America a digital asset superpower.

Washington’s formal embrace of cryptocurrency began earlier this year when Trump established the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, with Bo Hines as the executive director.

Hines told a digital asset summit in New York last month that a comprehensive stablecoin bill was a top priority for the current administration. After the Senate Banking Committee passed the GENIUS Act, a final stablecoin bill could arrive at the president’s desk “in the next two months,” said Hines.

Bo Hines (right) speaks of “imminent” stablecoin legislation at the Digital Asset Summit on March 18. Source: Cointelegraph

Stablecoins pegged to the US dollar are by far the most popular tokens used for remittances and cryptocurrency trading.

The combined value of all stablecoins is currently $227 billion, according to RWA.xyz. The dollar-pegged USDC (USDC) and USDt (USDT) account for more than 88% of the total market.

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