Tomorrow owners of of American XL Bully dogs in Suffolk must make sure their pets are muzzled and on a lead in public.
The Government announced plans to ban them- following several attacks.
Last updated 30th Dec 2023
Since the 31st of December, all owners of American XL Bully dogs in Suffolk must make sure their pets are muzzled and on a lead, when in public.
From New Year's Eve it will also be illegal to sell, breed, abandon or give away one of these dogs, after the Government announced plans to ban them- following several attacks.
The government website describes features for Identifying an XL Bully Dog which can be found here.
What to do with your XL bully in the new year?
As of February 1st, 2024, it will be illegal to own an XL bully unless your dog has been exempt. The ban comes after several attacks on people by dogs.
To keep an XL Bully dog it must be:
-Microchipped
-Kept on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public
-Kept in a secure place so it cannot escape
-Neutered
As the owner, you must also:
-Be over 16 years old
-Take out third party public liability insurance against your dog injuring other people
-Be able to show the Certificate of Exemption when asked by a police officer or a council dog warden, either at the time or within 5 days
What do Dog Trainers Think?
Lyn and Mike Alton run Wagtail Walks and Training in Ipswich and are both “extremely disappointed” by the government's decision to ban the dog. They train “up to 60 dogs a week” including the XL bully and think that “training should be mandatory” for all dogs so incidents like this don’t happen.
They told us “The description of what an XL bully is, is so difficult to quantify as it’s not actually a breed, so it’s a Heinz 57.”
Lyn explained she has trained many dogs that would qualify as an XL bully despite having “little to no traits” of one.
Mike also said, “‘If you go onto the government website, you can see the measurements as to which dogs qualify and which don’t’
They explained that the severity of the bites from a bully is one of the main reasons for the ban in place. “If a chihuahua bites you, it might hurt a bit, if an XL bully bites you, it could end your life or cause serious damage.”
From the start of 2024, they must wear a muzzle and be kept on a lead at all times when out in public. Mike said that “all our dogs are muzzle trained” as it protects both the dog and humans when they’re in trouble
For more information, you can check the government website or for training and muzzle advice you can check the Wagtail Walks Website as they have a free training guide for dogs..