American XL Bully ban exemptions: How to register your dog today
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak revealed in 2023 that American XL Bully Dogs were to be banned in the UK.
The announcement that the breed would be outlawed under the Dangerous Dogs Act sparked a huge reaction from dog owners who were left with a strict time limit to register their pet in order to legally keep them.
What is an American XL Bully?
American XL Bully dogs are thought to have originated in the US in the late 1980s.
They are mixed-breed, comprising of the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier.
Pit Bull Terriers were banned in the UK in 1991 after a series of attacks.
Owners can still keep an XL bully dog.
Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland
American XL Bullies have been crossbred with other breeds including English Bulldogs, Olde English Bulldogs, and American Bulldogs.
More on XL Bully dogs
There are four size categories: pocket, standard, classic and XL.
XL Bullies are usually around 33-50cm in height and weigh in at 20-60kg.
When were American XL Bully dogs banned?
XL Bully dogs were banned in England and Wales from December 31, 2023.
New laws prohibiting the killer breed were formally laid in parliament under the Dangerous Dogs Act in October 2023.
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Anyone who defies the ban faces up to 14 years behind bars.
They could also be disqualified from ownership or their dog may be euthanised.
Breeding, selling, advertising, rehoming, abandoning and allowing an XL Bully dog to stray is illegal under the strict legislation.
From February 1 2024 it is also illegal to own an XL Bully dog unless it is on the Index of Exempted Dogs.
Four other dog breeds are also banned in the UK: Pitbull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro.
What happened once the American XL Bully breed was banned in the UK?
The XL Bully ban was put in place from December 31, 2023, leading some breeders to try and quickly get rid of dogs they had to sell before sales became illegal.
Tragically, one XL Bully was found dead just hours before the ban came into place and others were left roaming the streets.
Existing XL Bullies were given amnesty from the ban, but from December 31 they have had to be muzzled and on a lead in public.
Owners were also given the option of asking a vet to euthanize their pets and claim £200 compensation.
Shortly after the ban in England and Wales, Scotland followed suit.
The First Minister Humza Yousaf confirmed on January 11, 2024, that the crackdown on the breed would be extended to Scotland but insisted it wasn't a "ban".
He said in parliament: "Owners can still keep an XL bully dog, they have to make sure it's registered on the Exemption Index, they have to fulfill the other criteria of the legislation."
Just weeks later, a nine-stone Bully called Zeus was shot dead in Hamilton after savagely mauling two men and a cop just a week after it had arrived in Scotland from England.
American XL Bully Exemption Rules
Owners wanting to legally keep their Bully after the ban must apply for a Certificate of Exemption.
They have been given until January 31, 2024, to do so.
Applications can be done on the website, where owners will be subject to a £92.40 fee.
To keep an XL Bully dog, owners must ensure their pet is:
- microchipped
- kept on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public
- kept in a secure place so it cannot escape
XL Bully dogs will also need to be neutered.
If a dog is less than one year old on January 31, 2024, it must be neutered by December 31.
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If a dog is older than one year old on January 31, 2024, it must be neutered by June 30.
In December 2023 it was reported that every XL Bully owner who had applied to keep their dog had been accepted so far under the new exemption scheme.
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