XL Bully Dog
Ban Information
As many owners may already be aware, the UK Government has decided to add the XL Bully breed to the list of banned dogs. The following information is from the relevant Government website and further website links are added to important sections below. Following a concerning rise in attacks and fatalities caused by XL Bully dogs, the government has added this breed to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act1991.
To help current owners adapt to the new laws, these changes will come into force in 2 stages.
From 31 December 2023 it will be against the law to:
● sell an XL Bully dog
● abandon an XL Bully dog or let it stray
● give away an XL Bully dog
● breed from an XL Bully dog
● have an XL Bully in public without a lead and muzzle
From 1 February 2024 it will be a criminal offence to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless your dog has a Certificate of Exemption.
The following points are important:
The identification of an XL Bully dog as a representative of the breed falls on the owner of the dog and/or the police. Vets and dog associations have no responsibility in this. The police should provide further guidance on identifying an individual dog. There is a link below to the Government website to help with identification of the breed.
All XL Bully dogs must be neutered in order to keep them, must be microchipped, the owner must take out a third party insurance and pay an application fee to the government in order to receive a Certificate of Exemption.
You must arrange to have your XL Bully dog neutered through castration in the case of a male dog, or through spaying in the case of a female dog. If your dog is:
● less than 1 year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 31 December 2024
● older than 1 year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 30 June 2024
Defra recommends having your dog neutered as soon as possible so that you meet these deadlines.
Euthanasia is an option, although not preferred by vets, the Government contributes £200 compensation toward this.
Useful Links
The government website address for more information
Dogs Trust can provide third party insurance