Killer XL Bully dogs are banned from today as thousands of dog owners have missed the final deadline to act. The strict new laws mean that anyone who has one of the dangerous breed could have their pet destroyed and end up with a criminal record if they do not get them registered.
As well as needing to have had the pets put on the register – with the deadline ending yesterday – from today (Thursday, February 1) they also must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.
The ban came after there were 11 deaths linked to XL Bullies in the last three years and spate of other savage attacks across the country.
For each dog, owners must have obtained insurance, have had it microchipped and paid a £92.40 application fee.
As well as that owners must prove the dog is neutered by June 30 – or the end of 2024 if it’s a puppy.
As of today, February 1, the government has added XL Bully dogs to the list of dangerous breeds banned in England and Wales. This now makes it illegal to breed, sell, advertise, exchange, gift, rehome or abandon the breed – or even allow it to stray.
Scotland is expected to follow suit, but the ban doesn’t apply in Northern Ireland. But in England and Wales, it is now illegal to own an XL bully type without a certificate of exemption.
There was an option to have an XL Bully destroyed and be in line to claim £200 compensation. But that option along with others ended on January 31. A reported 150 people took up this option.
The Government website states the ability to apply for a Certificate of Exemption to keep an XL Bully dog is “now closed.”
The website said: “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 valid Certificate of Exemption.”
Latest figures show more than 35,000 XL Bully dogs have been registered – but experts predict there’s at least 50,000 to 100,000 of the breed in the UK, meaning at least 30,000 remain unregistered.
Owners who have missed the 31 January registration deadline are encouraged to contact their local police force if they think their dog is an XL Bully.
Owning an unregistered dog is deemed a criminal offence. Owners who have an unregistered XL Bully face a criminal record and an unlimited fine.
People who are in this predicament and want to put their dog to sleep must visit a local vet. In order to register an XL Bully, the pet owner must hold active public liability insurance for their dog, have it microchipped and pay the application fee.
Owners will also need to be able to prove their dog has been neutered.
Research found just under 10,000 Google searches into buying such dogs are made a month across the UK, with some standout hotspots.
Online dog sales platform puppies.co.uk compiled localised data on searches for terms such as “XL Bully for sale” and “XL Bully puppies for sale” to gauge their popularity in various towns and cities.
Coventry took the top spot, with approximately 362 searches per 100,000 residents each month on average. Manchester came a close second with 354 monthly searches, followed by Leeds (286), Cambridge (252) and Liverpool (245).
Despite the controversy surrounding the breed The American Bully Kennel Club describes the dogs as “extremely friendly with strangers” and “great with kids”.
