Following a concerning rise in deathly attacks over the last three years, the UK government has decided to enforce new legal restrictions on this power breed.
As of the 31st December 2023, it is now a compulsory requirement for all XL Bully dogs to be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public. It is also illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon, or let XL Bully dogs stray in the UK.
Owners are also being urged to apply to register their current XL Bully dogs, as the government takes action to safely manage the existing population of the breed. There is only a month left to meet the deadline when a ban will come into force on 1 February.
Owning an unregistered dog after this date will be a criminal offense in the country, with owners who don’t comply facing a criminal record and an unlimited fine.
Owners who do not want to keep their dogs after this date are being urged to take them to a vet to have them put down.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to bring in the ban after a man died after being savaged by two XL Bully dogs in September. In a TV interview, Sunak called the breed “a danger to communities,” saying, “it is right that we take urgent action to stop these attacks to protect the public."
Many owners and animal welfare activists have defended the breed, saying that all these dogs need is correct training, while critics say they have been specifically bred to be highly aggressive and even responsible ownership is not enough to prevent attacks on innocent victims.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: “ All XL Bully owners are expected to comply with the law and we will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, with further restrictions on XL Bully dogs coming into force on 1 February.”
“The Government has taken a staggered approach to safely manage the existing population of XL Bully dogs, while ultimately banning the breed.”
On 31 October 2023, XL Bully dogs were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act, with owners given two months to prepare for the first stage of the ban.
From 1st February all XL Bully dogs will have to be registered in the UK.
