XL bully ban is ‘failing’, says RSPCA
RSPCA wants to promote responsible dog ownership instead of banning dogs.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has criticised the ‘failing’ XL bully ban, amidst continuing cases of dog attacks and fatalities.
As the Dangerous Dogs Act marks 34 years in the statute book, the RSPCA has called for an in-depth review of dog control legislation.
Pet welfare experts from the charity say that dangerous dog laws in England and Wales are focused on ‘how a dog looks rather than their behaviour’. They want an approach which promotes responsible dog ownership, rather than banning dogs.
On 1 February 2024, it became a legal offence to own an XL bully type dog without holding a valid exemption certificate.
Across the 19 police forces which responded to RSPCA’s request for information, there were 1,035 dogs seized as suspected banned types during 2024. More than 65 per cent were identified as XL bullies.
Seven police forces also reported their euthanasia figures, revealing that 511 banned types of dog have been euthanised – the majority of which were XL bullies.
These numbers are expected to be higher across all 43 police forces across the UK.
However, despite the ban on XL bullies, the RSPCA says there were ten fatalities related to dog attacks in the UK during 2024. This is more than any full year before the ban was announced.
Police also saw more out-of-control dog attacks which caused injury during 2024.
Samantha Gaines, head of companion animals at the RSPCA, said: "It is absolutely heart breaking that dog fatalities and serious bite incidents are continuing and in very concerning numbers - which underlines that the Dangerous Dog Act simply isn't working, and hasn’t been for 34 years.
"The UK government urgently needs to adopt a different approach; focussed instead on preventing dangerous behaviours rather than focussing on the dog's individual breed.
"The law has been failing dogs and, crucially, public safety too for long. It's time for decision makers to review the current dog control situation and commit to measures which effectively protect public safety and safeguard dog welfare."
A government spokesperson said: “The ban on XL bullies is there to protect public safety and we expect all XL bully owners to comply with the strict conditions.
“Ongoing dog attacks show we need to do more to protect public safety. We will continue to encourage responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog and to consider whether the current dog control rules are sufficient to ensure communities are protected.”
Image © RSPCA
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