joshua
Well-Known Forumite
From 1 February 2024 it will be a criminal offense to own an XL Bully in England and Wales unless you have a Certificate of Exemption for your dog.
From 31 December 2023 it will be against the law to: sell an XL Bully dog, abandon an XL Bully dog, give away an XL Bully dog, have an XL Bully in public without a lead and muzzle
This includes: breeding from an XL Bully dog allowing for an XL Bully dog to be bred from any combination of other dogs.
It will not be an offense to allow a litter of puppies that have already been conceived to be born.
If the puppies are born after 31 December 2023, it will be an offense to sell them or to rehome them.
That is why government recommends that XL Bully breeders should stop all breeding activity now as it will be a criminal offense to sell, transfer, exchange, gift or advertise these dogs from 31 December 2023.
There is a 9-week period until the ban on selling comes into force to allow puppies that were bred before this legislation was introduced to be legally sold.
It will remain the case that puppies must not be sold before they are eight weeks old.
If you purchased a puppy before 31 December 2023, but it is less than 8 weeks old at that point, you will still be able to collect it legally when it is eight weeks old.
If you want to keep your dog after the ban, you must apply for a Certificate of Exemption.
You will have until 31 January 2024 to apply for this exemption.
Applications will be subject to a £92.40 application fee, to cover administration costs. To keep an XL Bully dog you must ensure it is: microchipped kept on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public kept in a secure place so it cannot escape
You will also need to neuter your dog. If your dog is less than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 31 December 2024. If your dog is older than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 30 June 2024.
We recommend that you arrange for your dog to be neutered as soon as possible to ensure that you meet these deadlines. As the owner, you must also: be over 16 years old take out insurance against your dog injuring other people - this is provided through Dogs Trust Membership be able to show the Certificate of Exemption when asked by a police officer or a council dog warden, either at the time or within 5 days Defra will provide more information on how to apply for an exemption for an XL Bully dog soon.
If you choose not to keep your XL Bully dog, you should take it to a registered vet for it to be euthanized. You can claim £200 compensation towards the costs.
You and your vet will need to fill in a compensation form to make a claim. Defra will provide more information on how to apply for compensation soon.
From 31 December 2023 it will be against the law to: sell an XL Bully dog, abandon an XL Bully dog, give away an XL Bully dog, have an XL Bully in public without a lead and muzzle
This includes: breeding from an XL Bully dog allowing for an XL Bully dog to be bred from any combination of other dogs.
It will not be an offense to allow a litter of puppies that have already been conceived to be born.
If the puppies are born after 31 December 2023, it will be an offense to sell them or to rehome them.
That is why government recommends that XL Bully breeders should stop all breeding activity now as it will be a criminal offense to sell, transfer, exchange, gift or advertise these dogs from 31 December 2023.
There is a 9-week period until the ban on selling comes into force to allow puppies that were bred before this legislation was introduced to be legally sold.
It will remain the case that puppies must not be sold before they are eight weeks old.
If you purchased a puppy before 31 December 2023, but it is less than 8 weeks old at that point, you will still be able to collect it legally when it is eight weeks old.
If you want to keep your dog after the ban, you must apply for a Certificate of Exemption.
You will have until 31 January 2024 to apply for this exemption.
Applications will be subject to a £92.40 application fee, to cover administration costs. To keep an XL Bully dog you must ensure it is: microchipped kept on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public kept in a secure place so it cannot escape
You will also need to neuter your dog. If your dog is less than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 31 December 2024. If your dog is older than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered by 30 June 2024.
We recommend that you arrange for your dog to be neutered as soon as possible to ensure that you meet these deadlines. As the owner, you must also: be over 16 years old take out insurance against your dog injuring other people - this is provided through Dogs Trust Membership be able to show the Certificate of Exemption when asked by a police officer or a council dog warden, either at the time or within 5 days Defra will provide more information on how to apply for an exemption for an XL Bully dog soon.
If you choose not to keep your XL Bully dog, you should take it to a registered vet for it to be euthanized. You can claim £200 compensation towards the costs.
You and your vet will need to fill in a compensation form to make a claim. Defra will provide more information on how to apply for compensation soon.
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