Update - 12th January 2024
Following advice from Gloucestershire Constabulary DLO (Dog Legislation Officer) we would like to share some important information regarding the measurement of XL Bully type dogs.
- Any Bull breed male dog that is under 20” or a female that is under 19” in height from the top of their withers (area above the shoulder of a dog) to the ground is NOT an XL Bully.
- Any dog that is over the above height but is clearly another recognised breed (other than a Bull breed) is NOT an XL Bully.
- If you have a Bull breed dog that is over the above height and you are unsure, the overwhelming advice is to seek exemption and follow the rules for banned breeds. You will be able to apply to de-register at a later date (although the procedure for this is not yet finalised).
Update - 15th November 2023
- It will be illegal to rehome, sell, give away or breed from and XL Bully as of the 31st of December.
- All XL Bully’s must be microchipped, have thrid party liability insurance, and be muzzled and on a lead in public as of the 31st December.
- All XL bully’s must be registered as exempt by the 31st January and it will be an offence to own one without the certification of exemption.
- All exempt XL Bully’s must be neutered. If the dog is at least 1 year old on 31st January 2024 then it must be neutered by 30th June 2024, whereas if it is less than 1 year old on 31st January 2024 then you will have until 31st December 2024 to get it neutered.
- Third party liability insurance is £25 per year through Dogs Trust HERE.
- Exemption registration is £92.40 which can be paid HERE.
- Further advice and photos of the XL Bully breed measurements can be found HERE.
- The exemption application process is now open HERE.
Update – 31st October 2023
Key points
- DEFRA has now laid the legislation to add American XL Bully to Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act from 31st December 2023. CLICK HERE to see the measurements that will be used to define the breed.
- From 31st December it is illegal to breed, sell, abandon, or advertise and American XL Bully. This change in law will apply initially to England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland will decide when their laws will change in due course.
- It will be illegal for rescue centres to rehome, foster or sell an American XL Bully from 31st December. There will be a further announcement on what will happen to dogs already in rescue when the ban comes in to force.
- Responsible owners of American XL Bullys will be able to keep their dogs and apply for them to meet the conditions of the Dangerous Dogs Act by neutering them, inusuring them, and making sure they are muzzled in public places.
- Under the Government’s Guidance, owners will have until 1st February 2024 to ensure their XL Bully is exempted under the law.
We are offering FREE one-to-one sessions with our qualified behaviourists for American XL Bully owners on things such as muzzle training, lead work and control.
These sessions can take place in person or online. Please email [email protected] to find out more.
Original post - 11th October 2023
On 15 September, the Prime Minister announced a proposed ban of ‘American Bully XL’ type dogs by the end of the year under the Dangerous Dogs Act. This statement was prompted by recent attacks by American Bully XL dogs.
There is a lot of confusion about what a ban means, and we understand that many people are worried about personal safety given the increased number of high-profile dog attacks. However, there are many factors that can cause a dog to bite including training, breeding and husbandry. Breed alone is not the issue.
In the short-term, banning a breed aims to promote responsible ownership of dogs who are of that ‘type’ and is not meant to punish owners of dogs who pose no threat to others, but there is a lot of debate surrounding the effectiveness of this system.
Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like based on specific measurements, rather than its breed or name. For example, if your dog matches many of the characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier, it may be a banned type.
The American Bully XL is the largest dog of the American Bully type. It is not a breed recognised by the UK Kennel Club as it is a cross breed, developed by cross-breeding various types of dogs.
Identifying American Bully types is currently extremely difficult, especially when there are several different variants of the American Bully and many other breeds and crossbreeds, which look similar. The Government will develop a breed standard to identify the dogs that will be impacted by the ban.
The ban will not mean that all dogs of American XL Bully type will need to be put to sleep. Dogs already in a home with an owner who adheres to the legislation surrounding banned breeds will be allowed to remain with their families. However, transfer of ownership will not be permitted meaning that dogs of this type who end up in shelters cannot be rehomed and must be euthanised.
When a ban comes into force American XL Bully owners will need to apply for a Certificate of Exemption to keep their dogs, give evidence that their dog is not a danger to the public and comply with rules around banned breed types. You will not be able to apply until after the ban has come into force, but there will be an amnesty period when you can obtain your Certificate.
In February 2022 there were 3,617 dogs registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs. Of these, 3,464 dogs were in England, 11 dogs in Scotland and 142 dogs in Wales.
Dogs of a banned breed will need to be microchipped, neutered, must wear a muzzle and lead at all times when in public, and their homes must be secured to ensure they cannot escape.
Owners of dogs who may fit the American XL Bully type can get ahead of the game now by taking their dog to be neutered and starting a positive reinforcement muzzle training plan so that their dogs will be happy to wear a muzzle when the time comes.
Dogs Trust are offering free online muzzle training sessions which you can book here and they have some great advice for XL Bully owners on their website. We have some further advice about muzzles in our Managing Muzzle Stigma article.
We would like to reiterate that abandoning a dog is not the answer. If you are struggling to look after your pet, need some behavioural advice, or are concerned about what this ban will mean, please get in touch with our team at [email protected]
| In the UK, it is already against the law to own these types of dog: | It is against the law to: |
|---|---|
| Pit Bull Terrier | sell a banned dog |
| Japanese Tosa | abandon a banned dog |
| Dogo Argentino | give away a banned dog |
| Fila Brasileiro | breed from a banned dog |
Further information
The ban is being introduced in stages. The first thing to know is that you should STOP any plans you may have for breeding from an XL Bully, as by the time the puppies are born it will be illegal to sell the puppies (or even give them away).
31st December 2023: This is the date when Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is officially amended. It will then be a criminal offence to:
- Breed or breed from the dog
- Sell or exchange the dog
- Give the dog away
- Abandon the dog or allow it to stray
- Allow the dog to be in a public place without being muzzled and kept on a lead. A public place includes the inside of a motor vehicle if it is in a public place at the time. The muzzle must be sufficient to prevent the dog from biting a person. The lead must be held securely by a person aged at least 16.
These offences will apply to:
- an owner
- someone who has possession of someone else’s dog
- a rescue.
31st January 2024: This is the deadline by which there must be a Certificate of Exemption issued. So far, we don’t know the process for applying but will give further details when they are announced. The DEFRA fee will be £92.40. The dog must have third party liability insurance (currently costing £25 via Dogs Trust membership – half that if you’re over 60). The dog will have to be kept in secure location so it can’t escape. There will be other conditions which we can confirm once the full exemption scheme is announced.
Neutering: The dog must be neutered, but there is not going to be a requirement for this to be done by 31st January 2024 as the deadline will depend on the age of the dog. If the dog is at least 1 year old on 31st January 2024 then it must be neutered by 30th June 2024, whereas if it is less than 1 year old on 31st January 2024 then you will have until 31st December 2024 to get it neutered. However, please don’t leave it too long as vets are likely to get extremely busy.
Compensation: If an owner chooses to have their dog put down rather than go through the exemption scheme, the Government says in due course they will offer compensation of £200 per dog (or £100 if it is a rescue). No details have yet been provided for how this scheme will operate.
DEFRA has published a document called “Prepare for the ban on XL Bull dogs” and you can read that HERE.
We are offering FREE one-to-one sessions with our qualified behaviourists for American XL Bully owners on things such as muzzle training, lead work and control.
These sessions can take place in person or online. Please email [email protected] to find out more.
