XL bullies added to banned dogs list as government shares exact dates for change
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The government has announced the exact date XL bullies will be banned in parts of the UK.
From December 31, the sale, breeding, advertising, rehoming and abandoning of the controversial "breed" will be illegal.
It will also be illegal to allow specimens of the loosely defined type to "stray," according to the government website. The ban will be in place for England and Wales.
The news comes after a series of high-profile attacks that have shocked the nation and led to calls for the removal of the dogs from the country's streets. The new ban comes under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
On its official site, the government said: "The announcement fulfils the Government’s pledge to put in place laws to ban the breed by the end of the year and protect the public following a concerning rise in fatal attacks."
Existing dogs must be kept on the lead in public and muzzled. This has led the government to encourage owners of the breed to train their pets in how to wear a muzzle ahead of the ban. Ahead of the ban, people have also been encouraged to stop breeding them.
They must all also be microchipped and neutered. The ban will introduce a new stage in February 2024, whereby it will be illegal to own the breed if it is not registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs. The government announced that the aim of the two-stage ban was to give owners time to prepare.
"Owners who wish to keep their dogs will have until the end of January to register them and will be forced to comply with strict requirements," the government site added. "From 1 February, owners without a Certificate of Exemption face a criminal record and an unlimited fine if they are found to be in possession of an XL Bully type, and their dog could be seized."
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said: "We are taking quick and decisive action to protect the public from tragic dog attacks and today I have added the XL Bully type to the list of dogs prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
"It will soon become a criminal offence to breed, sell, advertise, rehome or abandon an XL Bully type dog, and they must also be kept on a lead and muzzled in public. In due course it will also be illegal to own one of these dogs without an exemption.
"We will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, as we take forward these important measures."
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