Seventeen XL bully dogs were granted a lifeline after magistrates spared them from destruction orders due to the dogs being found unregistered with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Over two days, magistrates in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk heard the stories of the dogs and their owners, including Emily Moore, whose five-year-old bitch, Havana, was one of the dogs spared from destruction. The court heard how Havana’s owners had previously thought they had registered her with Defra, proving this legislation to be challenging and confusing.
Owners had to convince magistrates that they were fit and proper people, their dogs had passed police inspections, and registered addresses were secure. Although Norfolk Police had not commented on the decision, their legal representative said they could only apply for destruction orders, and that those could be modified to spare the animals.
The RSPCA was pleased with the court’s decision, believing owners would now be able to keep their dogs legally. However, the speed at which the ban on XL bully types had been brought in meant owners struggled to meet the exemption requirements or deadline. The charity remained opposed to such breeds being banned, arguing the legislation wrongly punished dogs for the way they looked and distracted from the real causes of their aggression: how they had been bred and the experiences they had in life.
While each dog and owner granted exemptions had to adhere to the rules set out in the Dangerous Dogs Act, owners such as Theresa Connolly, of Hamilton Road, Great Yarmouth, were relieved at the decision. Connolly had taken in the stray dog, Hugo, in fears he would be caught unregistered and put down, due to Hugo being an unregistered banned breed of dog. Despite concerns a neighbour had reported Hugo to the police, Connolly said, “I just feel like I’m on cloud nine and I’ve got my boy and he’s at home, and we’re giving him a loving home and caring for him.”
Dogs such as “Dina” the XL bully were given exemptions after it was found that she lived in a house with five young children and two other dogs. In contrast, “Zeus” and “Boi” were once homeless and had been investigated due to allegations that they had attacked their owner. Another dog, “Luna” had allegedly missed the deadline for registration due to a family illness, and their owner said, “I can’t imagine life without her.” Ultimately, magistrates had to be satisfied with the owners’ ability to care for their dogs, ensuring the owners met the criteria set out in the Dangerous Dogs Act
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