Oxfordshire residents speak out on XL Bully ban
The deadline has now passed for XL Bully owners in Oxfordshire to apply for a certificate of exemption to keep their dog.
Last updated 2nd Feb 2024
January 31st at 12 noon was the deadline put in place for dog owners across the country to apply for a certificate of exemption to keep their dog.
The ban on XL Bully's is in response to an increase in incidents and fatalities involving the dogs, with two major attacks in September and October 2023.
The UK Government has now added this breed to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 along with Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos and Fila Brasileiros.
However, a number of people feel as though this ban has been rushed through by the government and is unfair on those XL Bully's who are trained and obidient.
Callum Exler runs Exler Canine's in Oxford and last summer he worked with more than 40 XL Bully's.
Speaking about the breed Callum said: "Most of them have underlying nervous traits, to an outsider it would look like they're aggressive but it all stems from fear."
Callum went on to add how most of the XL Bully's he had worked with had caused him no issues and that all owners should have some base knowledge of training.
"I feel like when people get a dog they should have to go to some mandatory training as you would a theory test for driving, just so you have a basic understanding of how dogs learn."
One of Callum's clients Kadie Hawkes-Bayliss owns an 18 month old XL Bully and Kadie outlined how some of the Governments rules jeopardise not only her dogs health but also his happiness.
"We are now going to be forced to have him neutered much earlier than we would like to.
"We've had XL Bully's before and getting them neutered too early can give them cruciate disease and joint problems.
"We're at a point where not only do we not have any health insurance for him because he's a band breed, but we are potentially putting him at risk of getting a health condition as well."
"The ban has taken away our freedom of choice."
"He's so friendly, it's owners that need to be in control of there animals I think it's a ban that's been rushed through without taking into account those who do well by their animals.
"It's sad really he can't great other dogs or socialise properly."
"He loves running off the lead, but now he can't even chase a ball."