The past few weeks have witnessed a series of devastating incidents involving so-called Bully XL dogs, which have left two people dead and others badly injured. The Prime Minister has responded by vowing to "ban" the breed, under the Dangerous Dogs Act, by the end of 2023.

For those of us committed to supporting responsible dog ownership, the Government’s response fails to grasp the complexity and difficulties in trying to minimise the likelihood of such events happening again. Dog Aid Scotland believes that a whole new approach is required to ensure dogs of all breeds are raised in a way that benefits both the animals and the safety of those around them.

Of course, when it comes to fears about the dangers posed by certain types of dogs we have been here before. In 1990-1991, a wave of often-sensationalist media reports suggested that dogs - especially Rottweillers and pit bull terriers - were particularly dangerous and required specific government action. That resulted in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, now regarded as an archetypal piece of knee-jerk policymaking.

The act made it illegal to own certain types of dogs and placed responsibilities upon owners to control their animal. The problem, however, lay in defining what it called "the type of dog known as the pit bull". Much argument was seen in courts across the land as people tried to define what and what wasn’t a pit bull. Famously, a boxer-collie cross named Woofie was due to be put down after barking at a postman. A fight to save the unfortunate hound involved former film star and animal welfare campaigner Brigitte Bardot and resulted in Scotland’s most senior appeal judge granting Woofie his freedom… and life.

The unintended comedy of such cases - which resulted from the badly-drafted 1991 Act - should not detract from the very real danger posed by large powerful dogs like the Bully XL, which can weigh in excess of 50kg. The problem for the Government is that the UK Kennel Club does not recognise the American Bully XL as a breed. So how would enforcement of any ban work, when the primary breed authority cannot tell police officers what they look like?

Dog Aid Scotland believes the focus on a particular breed - officially recognised or not - is not the way to address this problem. Instead, encouraging responsible dog ownership lies at the heart of the solution. Neutering is something Dog Aid Scotland (which relies entirely on public donations) already spends thousands of pounds on each year, by providing financial support to qualifying owners. We also rehome dogs for a variety of reasons and distribute thousands of pounds every year to owners struggling with vet bills.

We are now developing plans to roll out a Scotland-wide accredited training programme, where owners can access expert tuition for their dog and themselves.

We urge the Government to look beyond easy newspaper headlines from "banning" a dog that is, in effect, unbannable. Instead, a long-term and meaningful approach to all aspects of responsible dog ownership is needed. Only then can the aims of this charity to create happy homes for dogs be achieved.

For more information, please visit www.dogaidscotland.com

Ross Macfadyen is Chief Executive of Dog Aid Scotland