We know that dog owners are very worried about the XL Bully ban and what this means for their dogs, now and in the future. At Hope Rescue, we share these concerns and will do everything we can to offer support and advice. 

What do I have to do if I own an XL Bully?

It's important to understand that owners will be able to legally keep their dogs subject to conditions, but they will need to take action. We would urge owners to ensure they read the UK Government advice here on how to prepare for the ban

Read the guidance here  

From 1 February 2024, it became illegal to own an XL Bully in England and Wales unless you have a Certificate of Exemption for your dog. Owners had until midday on 31 January 2024 to apply for this exemption.

From 31 December 2023, XL Bully dogs must wear a muzzle and be kept on a lead when in a public place.

We strongly recommend that owners should start to train their dogs to wear a muzzle when in public and to walk on a lead before this date. It's important to introduce your dog to a muzzle gradually and positively.

Our friends at the Blue Cross have some excellent advice here:

Advice on muzzle training 

Owners must ensure their XL Bully is:

• microchipped
• neutered (or if your dog is less than one year old on 31 January 2024, they must be neutered by 31 December 2024)
• kept in a secure place so that they can’t escape.

Owners must also:

• have third party liability insurance against your dog injuring other people (you can obtain this via the Dogs Trust membership scheme here: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/support-us/companion-club )
• be aged over 16
• show the Certificate of Exemption when asked by a police officer or council dog warden, either at the time or within 5 days
• let the Index of Exempt Dogs know if you change address, or your dog dies.

There is also some useful training available from our friends at Battersea

American Bully XL owner support 

Once your dog has a Certificate of Exemption you must adhere to the conditions otherwise you could be committing a criminal offence and your dog could be seized.

It should be noted that, from 31st December 2023, it is illegal to sell, breed, give away an XL Bully dog.

Neutering deadline is approaching

XL bullies who were over the age of one on 31 January 2024 and have been exempted by their owners now have to be neutered by 30 June 2024, and evidence of this must be sent over to Defra by 26 July 2024.

If Defra does not have evidence by the deadline, the dog’s exemption certificate will be revoked and the dog could be seized by police.

Information about confirmation of neutering can be found here.

What about XL Bullies in Scotland?

From 23 February 2024 in Scotland, it will remain legal to own an XL Bully dog but owners must ensure their dogs are muzzled and on a lead when in a public place. Selling, gifting or exchanging XL Bully dogs will also be prohibited.

Stage two of the new rules, which come into force from 31 July, will make it an offence to own an XL Bully without an exemption certificate or having applied for an exemption certificate. This means existing XL Bully dog owners will need to consider whether they wish to keep their dogs and if so will have to apply and pay for an exemption permit by that date.

Read more from the Scottish Government here

What about XL Bullies in Northern Ireland?

From 5th July 2024, it will remain legal to own an XL Bully type dog, but owners must ensure their dog is muzzled and on a lead when in a public place. Selling, gifting, exchanging, or breeding from an XL Bully type dog will also be prohibited.

Read the latest advice from the DAERA in Northern Ireland here

Is my dog an XL Bully?

The UK Government has published a standard definition of an XL Bully

Read the definition here 

Owners are being asked to identify whether their dogs are an XL Bully. You will need consider the definition and carefully look at your dog’s physical appearance and various body parts as well as measuring their height.

A suspected XL Bully breed type does not need to fit the physical description perfectly. If your dog meets the minimum height measurements and a substantial number of the characteristics in the official definition, it could be considered an XL Bully breed type. The Blue Cross has a useful video on the Government advice page to help you measure your dog.

The UK Government advises that you take a precautionary approach if you are unsure whether your dog meets the standard, to ensure that you don’t put your dog at risk of being seized as a banned breed once the legislation comes in to force. The legislation does provide for the withdrawal of a Certificate of Exemption, where this is requested by the holder if they later find that their dog does not meet the specification of an XL Bully. In these cases, the dog owner could apply for their Certificate of Exemption to be withdrawn.

I am a housing association tenant in Wales, how will the ban affect me?

Your housing association will have a policy regarding XL Bully type dogs. We recommend contacting your local housing association to check their policy.

A list of housing associations in Wales can be found here.

What will happen to the XL Bully dogs in your care at Hope Rescue?

It is an extremely worrying and concerning time for everyone working in animal welfare.

We were able to rehome any XL Bully dog in our care that had passed its rehoming assessment, with full disclosure and support for the adopters, up until 31st December 2023.  

Since this date we have been unable to legally rehome an XL Bully dog.

The guidance does state that rescues can keep their XL Bully dogs. It’s important that we manage the general public's expectations around this.

Generally, bully type dogs do not do well in a kennel environment. The welfare of the dogs in our care is always our main priority and we do not believe that providing lifetime kenneling at the rescue centre for our XL Bully dogs will be in their best welfare interest.

As an organisation who cares passionately about animal welfare, it saddens us deeply that we will therefore be required to euthanise any XL Bully dog in our care, or that will come in to our care, after 31st December 2023.

We will continue to lobby the UK Government to allow rescue centres to rehome prohibited breeds subject to the exemption conditions.

What is Hope Rescue’s view on the ban?

Hope Rescue is part of the Dog Control Coalition, along with RSPCA, Blue Cross, Battersea, Dogs Trust, Scottish SPCA, The Kennel Club, PDSA, USPCA and British Veterinary Association.

You can read more about our views on the ban here