Due to a violent dog attack in mid-September 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to ban XL American Bullies in the United Kingdom starting Feb. 1.
As of Dec. 31, it was illegal in the UK to sell, abandon, give away, or breed an XL “bully” dog or to have one in public without a leash and muzzle. As of Feb. 1, owners must have these dogs registered under a Certificate of Exemption in both England and Wales. Without the exemption, owning an XL bully will be a criminal offense, resulting in owners facing a fine and possible time in prison, according to BBC News.
While there are no federal laws banning dog breeds in the U.S., restrictions written into housing contracts or city ordinances is not uncommon. States such as Colorado, Florida and Illinois have restrained local governments from enacting breed-restricting policies through certain legislations.
“Restricting dogs based on their appearance of a perceived breed is a drastic reactionary policy move that is not effective and it has the potential to tear families apart and put countless dogs and responsible guardians at risk,” ALDF Strategic Legislative Affairs Manager Alicia Prygoski said in a USA Today interview.
Rather than restricting specific breeds, Prygoski believes that lawmakers should instead focus their attention on prohibiting animal abuse, educating owners on proper dog ownership, and targeting reckless dog owners.
In the UK, police now have the right to seize and euthanize unregistered dogs, according to The Guardian. Those choosing not to file for an exemption must take their XL bully to the vet to be euthanized and can receive up to £200 in compensation. Insurance is needed to file for an exemption, dogs must be micro-chipped and spayed/neutered and owners must pay an application fee of £92.40 per animal.
XL bully dogs are primarily classified as pitbull terriers and are commonly cross-bred with dogs like English bulldogs, American bulldogs and boxers.
Sunak announced his plan for the ban following the vicious attack of a 52-year-old father of two, Ian Price, who was mauled to death by two XL bullies in his mother’s garden in Stonnall, England, Sept. 14. Both dogs were put down, as reported by the Daily Mail Online.
Scotland’s government is following Sunak’s lead, implementing the same ban starting Feb. 23. Northern Ireland will soon decide whether to ban XL bully dogs, which will fall to their elected ministers, but the Northern Ireland Executive is currently suspended.
Of the approximated 50,000–100,000 XL bullies residing in the UK, the government has received about 35,000 exempt applications and owners have claimed more than 150 compensations after euthanization.
In an interview with BBC News, Jane Gailliford shared her view as an employee at Maxi’s Mates animal shelter in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, England.
“It’s not a bad dog, it’s a bad owner,” Gailliford said.
According to the ban, XL bullies handed into the shelter must be euthanized if their owner is not found within seven days.
Meanwhile, Elaine Atkinson from Cleator Moor, Cumbria, England, told BBC News that she signed the petition for the ban, claiming that “something had to be done” after her own dog, Rox, was attacked by four dogs, two of which were XL bullies.