Animal rights activists have called for a temporary ban on the breeding and importation of the bully dog, a breed they described as the “most abused, abandoned and neglected” in the world.

The petition comes after 27 abused and neglected bully-breed dogs were found chained and injured at a Żebbuġ residence earlier this month. The 27 dogs included two litters of puppies and their mothers.

One of the rescued dogs, Bronko, died of his injuries shortly after being rescued.

The petition, launched on 5 April, has more than 450 signatures.

Vuċi għall-Annimali, Association for Abandoned Animals, Gozo SPCA, Noah’s Ark Dog Sanctuary and The Island Sanctuary have set up the petition to safeguard the breeds and their mixes from exploitation by abusers and backyard breeders. 

“The petition also seeks to enact changes on multiple fonts, advocating for stricter regulations against abuse and illegal breeding practices, raising enforcement of existing laws and initiatives to promote responsible pet ownership and adoption.”

The activists highlight that such dogs - which include American Pit Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers and Staffordshire Terriers - are often subject to dogfighting and female dogs are exploited as "puppy breeding machines".

“Too often, these dogs are abandoned with cropped ears and lacking microchips, which indicates that illegal ear cropping practices are still being done in Malta,” the petition reads. 

The petition highlights that the ban is for breeding and importation and does not mean a ban on any dogs already in care. 

However shadow animal rights minister Janice Chetcuti has come out against the ban, saying it was penalising the "beautiful, intelligent and loyal" breed. 

Janice Chetcuti with her bully breed dog. Photo: Facebook

Instead, she said existing laws should be enforced, including microchipping,  banning the cutting of dogs' ears and tail to give them "a more ferocious look" and that laws regulating animal breeding should come into force. 

"By stopping them from entering our country we will not be helping them but we will make them more attractive to the same soulless individuals who are causing all this additional suffering," she said.

While there are no bans on dog breeds in Malta, recent amendments to the Animal Welfare Act introduce the concept of “dangerous dogs” into law, empowering the minister to create a list of dog breeds deemed ‘dangerous’ and outlining how such breeds should be regulated. 

No such list has been introduced.

In one of her recommendations, Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina recommended that there be better, stricter and enforced regulations on the breeding of dogs. While the recommendation has been accepted in principle, it has yet to be implemented.

Last year, Noah's Ark Pet Sanctuary, the last remaining charity that agreed to rehome the breed, announced that it had to stop accepting pit bulls due to the increasing number of the dogs being abandoned.