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The enforcement of the ban on owning XL bully dogs is causing significant issues for police forces, according to chiefs. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said that they are facing many difficulties in finding enough kennel space, resourcing, and coping with increasing costs. Kennelling costs and veterinary bills have largely contributed to the rising costs faced by the authorities. In 2018, these costs amounted to £4m in total for England and Wales. However, from February to September 2024 – i.e. the first eight months of the XL bully ban – these costs had ballooned to more than £11m. Forces forecast that they could spend £25m by April this year, a rise of 500%.
The ban was implemented in England and Wales on 1 February 2024, following several cases of dog attacks. Scotland followed suit with similar restrictions, while in Northern Ireland, XL bully dogs are required to be muzzled and kept on a lead when outdoors. It is now a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in these areas without an exemption certificate, meaning that unregistered pets will be confiscated, and their owners face potential fines and prosecution. The government has reinstated the need for responsible dog ownership, which has been a key concern for the authorities.
Although the police response to the XL bully dog ban has “reduced” the number of dog attacks, Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the NPCC lead for dangerous dogs, stated that they have a “huge burden” in managing the consequences of these bans. He confirmed that they have not received additional funding to account for this. Conversations with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding funding and resolving additional demand factors are ongoing, but there has been no formal agreement yet. Since the ban, the forces have increased their kennel capacity by a third. However, the kennel spaces are fast approaching full capacity, and associated costs are “increasing daily.”
The NPCC advised that it typically costs around £1,000 per month to keep a single XL bully dog at a kennel. According to the body, between February and September 2024, UK police forces seized and euthanised 848 dogs at an estimated cost of £340,000. These were surrendered by owners who failed to comply with the ban or take advantage of compensation schemes available. In the same period, English and Welsh forces confiscated a total of 4,586 dogs suspected of being banned, including XL bullies, which are defined as Section 1 dogs and outlawed in the UK, along with other breeds such as the American pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, Dogo Argentinos, and Fila Brazileiro. NPCC tactical lead Supt Patrick O’Hara said he did not think all XL bullies were inherently dangerous, but their sheer size and power put them at a “propensity for danger.
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