New legislation to impact XL Bully owners this winter

Current restrictions concerning keeping a dog of a banned breed that is certified as exempt are set to extend to include new rules later this year.

As part of a crackdown on the XL or American Bully, and other breeds deemed dangerous, the legislation will make it illegal for owners to leave children under the age of 12 alone with the dogs in both Wales and England.

Advice from experts in animal welfare is that while children can form wonderful bonds with canines, they should never be permitted to be left alone with them, regardless of the breed. Statistics show that young children are likelier to receive a dog bite than adults.

Exceptionally strong, ownership of an XL Bully is restricted under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, and since 2024, it has been a criminal offence for anyone to own an XL Bully in the UK without obtaining an exemption certificate.

Beyond keeping an unlicenced XL Bully being a criminal offence, the laws put in place in 2024 make it illegal to sell them, let them stray, abandon them, give them away, walk them in public without a lead and muzzle and breed from them. 

The new legislation, which was recently laid in parliament, now states that those who leave unattended children with potentially dangerous dogs will face fines and have their dogs seized.

The rules will come into effect from November 1 onwards.

Experienced in working with XL Bullies, Azz Rainey is a dog aggression behaviourist in Oxfordshire who offers personal, private legal assessments. For help and support, touch base with him today.