The new XL Bully legislation means, on 31^st December 2023, XL Bullies (or dogs matching their appearance) will become subject to the Dangerous Dogs Act and require a licence. It will become illegal to breed, sell, abandon or give away XL Bullies.

An XL Bully is identified by its looks and size. It is not a Kennel Club recognised breed and cannot be identified or excluded by DNA testing. The new laws, including detailed guidance on how to decide if your dog is an XL Bully, are on the following government website: Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs.

We would like to emphasise that we have no involvement in producing the new legislation. We will also not be directly responsible for enforcing it. However, we’ve produced the following information to help guide you in understanding how to be compliant and keep ownership of an XL bully-type dog, legally. 

Have a dog that fits the government’s XL Bully description? Learn how to stay compliant…

To be compliant with the new law, you will need to do the following:

1. Microchip your dog and if already microchipped, ensure the details are correct and up to date.
2. Obtain third party liability insurance for your dog. For dogs with insurance, this is often an inclusion but please ensure this is the case. Otherwise, this is a membership benefit of joining the Dogs Trust, which costs £25 per year. 
3. Your dog must be neutered. If he/she will be older than 1 year by 31^st December 2023, this must be done by 30^th June 2024.  If your dog will be under a year old by 31st December 2023, you have until 31^st December 2024 to have them neutered. 
4. You must register your dog with DEFRA and apply for an exemption certificate. There is a fee of £92.40 payable to the government and you can apply via the government website above.
5. Your dog must wear a muzzle and be on a lead in public places, including parks, fields and roads. In line with this, we will also require you to muzzle your dog when they visit our practice. For help on how to size, fit and muzzle train your dog, please visit https://muzzleupprotect.com/.  
6. Unfortunately, Government Legislation has stated the only alternative to applying for an Exemption Certificate, is humane euthanasia. This must be by an RCVS-registered veterinary surgeon on or before the 31st of January 2024. If this is something you are considering, please contact one of our surgeries to discuss further with a member of our team. 

Newton Clarke Vets – Practice Policy on XL Bully type dogs

• We will continue to provide veterinary care for XL Bully type dogs.
• XL Bully type dogs and those that we consider fit the government’s description must wear a muzzle whilst in public areas of the practice.
• Removal of muzzles for examination may only be when away from public areas of the practice, at the discretion of the veterinary surgeon.
• If we suspect a dog is an XL Bully type, vets and nurses have a responsibility to discuss this matter with the client and to send them an information sheet. Nurses may refer to vets if required.
• It is not our responsibility to decide if a dog fits the description of an XL Bully (it is the owners) or to enforce the legislation.
• If clients refuse to muzzle their dogs at the practice, we reserve the right to ask them to leave.