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A ban on XL bully dogs in Scotland is likely by the end of the month, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland News understands.

Due to rising concerns over attacks and even deaths, the breed has been banned by the UK government in England and Wales.

It will be illegal to own this type of dog south of the border from 1 February without an exemption certificate.

On Tuesday Scotland's Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown told MSPs she was urgently reviewing the matter.

And she advised potential owners: "It would be preferable not to acquire any such dog at the present time in Scotland."

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland News understands that a Scottish ban could be in force by the end of January.

The Scottish Conservatives had pointed to widespread rehoming of the breed to Scotland since the change in legislation in England and Wales.

And Jamie Greene MSP told Holyrood: "I would not want to be the minister in charge of any policy who dithered and delayed a day longer than is necessary on this issue and another tragedy occurs."

The Scottish government had complained their UK counterparts had not kept them informed of the action they were taking.

Ms Brown told MSPs: "The unintended consequences of the UK government policy is that we're now seeing an influx of XL bully dogs coming into Scotland."

Last week a man claimed to have driven 30 dogs across the border for rehoming purposes.

Under the new UK laws, XL bully owners must apply for a permit, take out insurance, neuter their dogs and pay a £92.40 fee by the end of the month in order to keep the animals.

The breed has been linked to a series of attacks including the death of a man in Staffordshire.

The campaign group Bully Watch, which was formed in response to a series of high-profile attacks by the dogs, previously accused the Scottish government and SSPCA of being "asleep at the wheel".

And it called for action to be taken in Scotland "before it is too late".

Under the , an XL bully has to be 20 inches in height if it is a male or 19 inches in height if it is a female.