Killer XL Bully dogs are banned from today as thousands miss the final deadline to act. The strict new laws mean that anyone who has one of the dangerous breed could have their pet destroyed – and end up with a criminal record if they do not get them registered.
As well as needing to have had the pets put on the register – with the deadline ending yesterday – from today (Thursday, February 1) they also must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.
The ban came after there were 11 deaths linked to XL Bullies in the last three years and spate of other savage attacks across the country.
For each dog, owners must have obtained insurance, have had it microchipped and paid a £92.40 application fee.
As well as that owners must prove the dog is neutered by June 30 – or the end of 2024 if it’s a puppy.
There was also an option to have an XL Bully destroyed – and be in line to claim £200 compensation. But that option along with others ended yesterday.
The Government website states that the ability to apply for a Certificate of Exemption to keep an XL Bully dog is “now closed.”
The website said: “From 1 February 2024 it will be a criminal offence to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless your dog has a valid Certificate of Exemption.”
Latest figures show more than 35,000 XL Bully dogs have been registered, reports The Sun.
A leading animal welfare organisation, however, says that there are tens of thousands of the animals that still have not been registered.
The RSPCA said it is thought that 30,000 of the beasts in the UK were still without a certificate. It’s thought between 50,000 and 100,000 live in the UK.
Research found just under 10,000 Google searches into buying such dogs are made a month across the UK, with some standout hotspots.
Online dog sales platform puppies.co.uk compiled localised data on searches for terms such as “XL Bully for sale” and “XL Bully puppies for sale” to gauge their popularity in various towns and cities.
Coventry took the top spot, with approximately 362 searches per 100,000 residents each month on average. Manchester came a close second with 354 monthly searches, followed by Leeds (286), Cambridge (252) and Liverpool (245).
Despite the controversy surrounding the breed The American Bully Kennel Club describes the dogs as “extremely friendly with strangers” and “great with kids”.
