The government recently announced that the American Bully XL dog breed would be banned by the end of this year.
Now, more details have been released including the exact dates the ban will begin.
The ban comes after a number of attacks on humans and in September Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the breed is a “danger to our communities”.
In a video statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak added that the ban was an attempt to “stop these attacks and protect the public”.
It’s clear the American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) September 15, 2023
I’ve ordered urgent work to define and ban this breed so we can end these violent attacks and keep people safe. pic.twitter.com/Qlxwme2UPQ
When will the American XL Bully ban begin? Key dates
The government announced that the breed will become one of those under the Dangerous Dog Act by the end of 2023 and specific dates have now been revealed.
Breeding, selling, advertising, rehoming, abandoning and allowing an XL Bully to stray in England and Wales will be illegal from December 31, 2023, reports Sky News.
Additionally, from this date, XL Bullies must wear a muzzle and be kept on a lead when out in public.
It will become illegal to own an XL Bully from February 1, 2024 unless it is included on a list of exempted dogs.
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said ministers had taken “quick and decisive action to protect the public from tragic dog attacks”.
She added: “We will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, as we take forward these important measures.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel