Thousands of XL Bully dogs granted exemption ahead of upcoming ban

In light of the upcoming ban on the XL Bully dog breed set by the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, owners nationwide are rushing to secure exemptions before the New Year arrives. The new rules have been imposed by the government following a series of attacks by the breed

New rules surrounding the dog breed XL Bully will come into effect soon, after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced restrictions on XL Bullies earlier this year. From Sunday, December 31, XL Bullies will no longer be allowed out in public, unless they are wearing a muzzle, and placed on a lead. It will also be illegal to breed, sell, advertise, rehome, abandon or let an XL Bully dog stray from the above date. From Thursday, February 1 2024, a complete ban on owning XL bullies will come into force. Despite the complete ban coming into force in February, owners can apply for an exemption, allowing them to keep their pet.

The government has revealed that they have received over 4,000 applications from owners wanting an exemption, and confirmed that the “majority” had been approved. An exemption certificate can be obtained online via the gov.uk website, if the owner agrees to comply with a strict set of rules