Thousands of XL Bully owners granted exemptions as ban looms

Thousands of American XL bully owners have been granted an exemption from the upcoming ban, as the deadline looms for owners to make sure their pets are legal.

More than 4,000 applications for exemption have been received by the government, with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) saying that the majority had been successful.

Owners granted an exemption will not have to put down their dogs when a ban on the breed comes into place next year.

Those who do not wish to apply for the exemption can choose to have them euthanised and apply for compensation for the cost. In order to qualify for exemption, the XL bullies will have to be neutered and microchipped.

A Defra spokesperson said: “[The] majority of applications are successful and the majority of successful applicants are receiving their certificates in less than a week.”

The first in a series of new rules around the breed is due to come into force in two weeks. Prime minister Rishi Sunak announced the rules in September after a series of attacks on adults and children.

From 31 December, breeding, advertising, selling, rehoming and abandoning dogs will become illegal in England and Wales, while XL bully dogs will no longer be allowed out in public unless they are muzzled and placed on a lead.

A complete ban on people owning XL bullies will come into force on 1 February 2024, unless the owner applies before the end of January for an exemption.

Households can only keep their pets if they agree to a strict set of rules, with their dogs required to be neutered by 30 June unless they are under a year old.

As well as neutering their animals, owners seeking an exemption must also pay an application fee, hold active public liability insurance for their pets and ensure the dogs are microchipped.

If refused an exemption certificate, owners can claim £200 towards the cost of their pet being euthanised, while rescue and rehoming organisations can claim £100 per animal.

Owners who fail to apply for the certificate face potential criminal proceedings and an unlimited fine.

“We want to bring in the certificates of exemptions because we don’t have a way of understanding how many XL bullies there are and exactly where they are,” the UK’s chief veterinary officer Dr Christine Middlemiss told BBC Breakfast.

“It’s great that over 4,000 owners have already registered and we urge the remaining owners who have not registered and want to do so to get on with the process.”

According to the campaign group Bully Watch, there have been 351 attacks by bully breeds this year, with Mr Sunak describing them as a “danger to communities”.

On its website, Defra has published a list of specifications describing an XL Bully, which includes a “muscular body and blocky head” as well as “great strength and power”.

Dr Middlemiss said: “Owners should read the guidance and ensure they are ready to comply with the new rules.

“Please do not risk leaving it to the last minute if you want to keep your dog, you should apply now for a certificate of exemption.”