When Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the government's plans to ban the American XL Bully, the news was met with much concern from owners and breeders alike.
When would the ban come into place, and what would this mean for those that shared their life with the breed?
Exact dates confirmed
On Tuesday this week the government confirmed that from the 31st of December 2023, it will be illegal to breed, sell, advertise, re-home, abandon or allow an XL Bully to stray. All XL Bully dogs will have to be walked on-lead and muzzled in public, and from the 1st of February 2024 it will become a criminal offence to own an XL Bully that is not registered on a list of exempted dogs.
Owners who decide not to keep their dog and to have them euthanised, will be offered £200 in compensation.
The future of the breed
Yesterday, a 14-month-old XL Bully was found to have been listed for as little as £25, reported by LCB, who found the advertisement on Pets4Homes. Described as "very friendly" and with a "good temperament", it's unclear whether the dog is being sold on in light of the ban being confirmed.
Other listings offered puppies for £250-£300, with one breeder even stating they were "open to offers!".
The ban has lead to serious concerns for the future of around 15,000 XL Bullies currently believed to live in the UK.
