Out of the 26,586 owners who applied for exemptions for their American XL bully dogs, a surprising 22,420 were successful in avoiding having their pets confiscated and destroyed. This news comes after the Department for the Environment responded to a freedom of information request, revealing that only 4,166 applications were denied.
The high number of successful exemptions has caught the Government off guard, as they had initially estimated the XL bully dog population in England and Wales to be around 10,000. However, information from veterinary practices suggests that there could be as many as 50,000 XL bullies in the country.
Under the new rules, unregistered pets are at risk of being seized, and their owners could face fines and legal action. Thankfully, thousands of XL bully dogs will now be spared thanks to their owners successfully applying for exemptions.
According to data from authorities, there were 26,586 XL Bully owners who submitted applications to spare their pets from being taken away and euthanized due to recent regulations.
New regulations are now in place, where pet owners with unregistered animals may face consequences such as having their pets taken away and possibly being fined or facing legal action. (Image Source: Stock photo)
As of February 1, a new law prohibiting individuals from owning XL bullies was put into effect, unless they applied for a Certificate of Exemption which costs £92.40. If caught with an unauthorized XL bully, the dog will be confiscated and taken to a kennel until a court decides its fate. The Certificate of Exemption allows owners to legally keep their XL bullies for a fee of £92.40, but they must adhere to certain regulations such as muzzling, leashing, and spaying/neutering their pets. Furthermore, owners must have valid third-party liability insurance. The new rules also state that individuals under 16 cannot hold the dog’s leash, and owners must allow police officers to check the dog’s microchip upon request. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in denied exemption certificates. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) reported receiving 137 compensation requests from owners who had euthanized their XL bullies, resulting in £13,600 being paid out for 68 completed compensation claims.
Dogs are required to be leashed and muzzled in public areas, and male dogs need to be neutered while females should be spayed. Owners must also have insurance for any third-party liability claims.
During the latest incident, Esther Martin, a 68-year-old woman, tragically lost her life in Jaywick, Essex, at the hands of an XL bully breed dog. Following numerous reports of attacks on individuals, the Government took action to ban XL bullies. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons also noted that some of its members have faced backlash for euthanizing XL bully dogs. With approximately 12 million dogs in the UK, popular breeds include the labrador retriever, Jack Russell terrier, English cocker spaniel, Staffordshire bull terrier, and chihuahua.