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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 3rd January 2024
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New XL bully rules come into force
A judicial review into the ban will be held in January.
Restrictions introduced ahead of next month's ban.

XL bully dogs must now be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public, after new restrictions on the breed came into force on 31 December.

It is also now against the law to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or allow an XL bully to stray.

A ban on owning the breed will come into force on 1 February. Owners are being urged by the Government to apply for an exemption certificate before the deadline of 31 January. More than 4,000 applications have already been made.

The new laws, which apply to England and Wales, were introduced under the Dangerous Dogs Act following a string of fatal dog attacks, many of which involved XL bully type dogs.

However, the legislation has been controversial. The Dog Control Coalition, which is made up of charities including the RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association, has opposed the ban, and MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee have called for the Government to offer greater clarification on the definition of the breed.

A judicial review will be held in January, following an application by the campaign group Don’t Ban Me - License Me, to decide whether the ban is lawful.

Environment secretary Steve Barclay said: “The Prime Minister pledged to take quick and decisive action to protect the public from devastating dog attacks with measures in place by the end of 2023.

“We have met that pledge - it is now a legal requirement for XL bully dogs to be muzzled and on a lead in public. It is also now illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL bully dogs stray.

“All XL bully owners are expected to comply with the law and we will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, with further restrictions on XL bully dogs coming into force on 1 February.”

Image © Shutterstock

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.