On Friday 15 September, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to ban American XL bully dogs by the end of 2023.
While we are still awaiting further details, you may be wondering what this means for your clients.
In this blog, we share everything we know so far and offer guidance on how to reassure owners of XL bully dogs.
What do we know so far?
The government has shared plans to add XL bully dogs to the list of banned breeds in the UK.
This decision was made after the occurrence of several attacks; one of which was sadly fatal.
Mr Sunak also labelled XL bullies as a “danger to communities”.
However, no official laws regarding the matter have been passed thus far.
What will the ban mean for XL bully owners?
If any of your clients own an XL bully, it is important to let them know that the ban is not yet in place and that their dog will not be at risk of being destroyed should they comply with the new regulations.
The government have confirmed there will be an amnesty period ahead of the ban so that XL bully owners have time to apply for a Certificate of Exemption to keep their dog and prove that it is not a danger to the public.
Dogs eligible for exemption must adhere to the following requirements:
-
Be spayed or neutered.
-
Have a microchip for identification.
-
Be leashed and wear a muzzle when in public.
-
Be securely confined to prevent escape.
Additionally, owners are obligated to:
-
Maintain third-party liability insurance to cover potential injuries caused by their dog.
-
Be at least 16 years old.
-
Present the Certificate of Exemption upon request by a police officer or a municipal dog control officer, either immediately or within a 5-day period.
-
Notify the Index of Exempt Dogs in case of a change of address or the passing of the dog.
In response to the government’s announcement, a spokesperson for the Dog Control Coalition said:
“The biggest priority for everyone involved is to protect the public – but banning the breed will sadly not stop these types of incidents recurring.
“For 32 years, the Dangerous Dogs Act has focused on banning types of dog and yet has coincided with an increase in dog bites, and the recent deaths show this approach isn’t working.”
We hope you found this post informative; remember to keep your clients in the loop regarding the latest updates on the ban. Keep an eye on our blog for further announcements and industry news.
On Friday 15 September, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to ban American XL bully dogs by the end of 2023.
While we are still awaiting further details, you may be wondering what this means for your clients.
In this blog, we share everything we know so far and offer guidance on how to reassure owners of XL bully dogs.
What do we know so far?
The government has shared plans to add XL bully dogs to the list of banned breeds in the UK.
This decision was made after the occurrence of several attacks; one of which was sadly fatal.
Mr Sunak also labelled XL bullies as a “danger to communities”.
However, no official laws regarding the matter have been passed thus far.
What will the ban mean for XL bully owners?
If any of your clients own an XL bully, it is important to let them know that the ban is not yet in place and that their dog will not be at risk of being destroyed should they comply with the new regulations.
The government have confirmed there will be an amnesty period ahead of the ban so that XL bully owners have time to apply for a Certificate of Exemption to keep their dog and prove that it is not a danger to the public.
Dogs eligible for exemption must adhere to the following requirements:
-
Be spayed or neutered.
-
Have a microchip for identification.
-
Be leashed and wear a muzzle when in public.
-
Be securely confined to prevent escape.
Additionally, owners are obligated to:
-
Maintain third-party liability insurance to cover potential injuries caused by their dog.
-
Be at least 16 years old.
-
Present the Certificate of Exemption upon request by a police officer or a municipal dog control officer, either immediately or within a 5-day period.
-
Notify the Index of Exempt Dogs in case of a change of address or the passing of the dog.
In response to the government’s announcement, a spokesperson for the Dog Control Coalition said:
“The biggest priority for everyone involved is to protect the public – but banning the breed will sadly not stop these types of incidents recurring.
“For 32 years, the Dangerous Dogs Act has focused on banning types of dog and yet has coincided with an increase in dog bites, and the recent deaths show this approach isn’t working.”
We hope you found this post informative; remember to keep your clients in the loop regarding the latest updates on the ban. Keep an eye on our blog for further announcements and industry news.