A FAMILY in Rhuddlan have expressed their relief and gratitude after enough money was raised to save their XL Bully dog from being put down.
Ayda, who is 10 months old, has been diagnosed with cruciate ligament disease, so needs a £3,000 operation on the knees of both of her back legs.
Without these operations, her owner Paul Warrand said, she may have to be “put to sleep”.
Paul, whose family have had Ayda since she was eight weeks old and whose two daughters “love her to bits”, started a GoFundMe page last week appealing for donations to fund the operations.
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‘Floored’ Rhuddlan family plead for help as their XL Bully faces being put down
On Saturday (February 18), it surpassed the £6,000 target, meaning the family now has enough money to afford both of Ayda’s operations.
He said: “We were very emotional. The kids are over the moon. There are just not enough words to show our gratitude, to be honest.
“We’re very thankful to everyone who has helped, in one way or another.”
Ayda’s first operation will take place at 10am on Thursday (February 22) in Sandbach, followed by a recovery period of six to weeks.
After this, she will then be ready for her second operation, Paul said.
You can still donate more funds by visiting: www.gofundme.com/f/aydas-operation, while you can follow Ayda’s journey at: https://www.instagram.com/miss_valentinas_ayda.
Since December 31, 2023, it has been a legal requirement for all XL Bully dogs in the UK to be kept on a lead and wearing a muzzle when being walked outside.
It also became illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray from that day.
This followed 23 people losing their lives after dog attacks in the last three years, many of which involved dogs of this breed.
Paul added: “I believe a lot of people who doubt if XL Bullies are safe have never seen or met them, but I appreciate that they have caused damaged, or killed and hurt people.
“But with Ayda, from a very young age, we took her to puppy training in Prestatyn, which was an open class with other dogs, and which she passed with flying colours.
“I do believe it’s how they’re brought up which matters. She’s just an absolutely brilliant dog who brings us so much joy.”
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