Police have warned that the UK’s ban on XL bully dogs could lead to an increase in reports of dangerous dogs. It is feared that irresponsible breeders may move to other breeds, leading to a potential surge in attacks involving other dog types. The ban on XL bullies comes into force on 31 December 2022, followed by an outright ban in February 2023. The new laws mean that it will be illegal to rehome, sell, buy or transfer ownership of an XL bully to another person. Owners who wish to keep their animals must apply to the exemption scheme before 1 February or can choose to have their dog euthanized and apply for compensation.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, who is also the dangerous dogs lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said that he expected the number of reports of dangerous dogs to double following the ban. He added that the police were already monitoring what the next “status” dog might be. Research by BBC Wales Investigates shows that offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act, where a dog is found to be dangerously out of control, are already rising. Data from 27 out of 43 police force areas in England and Wales showed there were 15,350 offences in 2022, up 37% since 2019, when there were 11,183.
Some parties have questioned the effectiveness of breed-specific bans. The Dog Control Coalition, which includes the Dogs Trust, the British Veterinary Association, and Hope Rescue, previously told the BBC that such bans were not effective. Vanessa Waddon from Hope Rescue said that making sure any dog breeder was licensed and “traceable” would have a bigger impact. She said the exemption certificate would “not address poor ownership,” adding that “those that do want to own a dangerous or intimidating dog, they will still be able to do that – they’re just going to use a different breed.”
It remains to be seen whether the new law will have the intended impact. Some experts believe that more robust measures, such as tests of responsible dog ownership and licensing of breeders, combined with enforcement efforts, would be effective in reducing the number of dog bites in communities. Despite this, Assistant Chief Constable Hobrough said that it was “absolutely” a concern that breeders were moving on to other, potentially larger and more powerful types of dog. He urged members of the public who see dogs they are concerned about within their neighbourhoods to report them, so that assessments can be undertaken on whether the animals are safe within the community
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