Around 100 dangerous dogs are being destroyed in the UK each month by police following last year’s ban on XL Bullys.
Following a string of fatal attacks in the UK, it became illegal in December 2023 to breed or sell XL bully dogs in England and Wales under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
In February 2024, the law was further expanded, making it a criminal offence to own an American XL Bully unless the owner had previously registered for an exemption certificate.
Since the law came into effect, police have significantly increased the number of animals they have seized.
A recent investigation by the BBC found that almost 2,000 suspected dangerous dogs had been seized by police in England and Wales in the first eight months of 2024 alone.
The BBC’s freedom of information request also revealed that 818 dogs had been destroyed in this year's first eight months, equating to roughly three animals a day.
Five breeds of dogs are currently banned in the UK: XL bully, pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Doga Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro.
A total of 57,223 certificates of exemption were issued across the country before the XL bully dog deadline.
The recent findings suggest that despite the ban, many people have kept dogs that fall into the dangerous dogs category even without a certificate.
One of the challenges in enforcing the ban is the difficulties surrounding the identification of dog breeds.
Illegal dogs that police have seized can remain in kennels for months at a time before their breed is actually determined, which is costing UK taxpayers around £25 million a year.
This is a significant increase from the reported £4 million spent on kennels and veterinary bills prior to the ban’s enforcement.
Many facilities that hold the seized dogs are now at full capacity, and 22 police forces that responded to the BBC said they expected more cases in the coming year.
The National Police Chief Council (NPCC) added that the law had placed a lot of pressure on police forces and made "a strong request" for more funding to enforce the XL bully ban.
Animal rights groups also recently said that the ban was “devastating” for owners, with some feeling they had little choice but to put their beloved pets down.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it will continue to work with police to ensure the law is being followed.
A spokesperson from Defra told The Standard: “The ban on XL bullies is an important measure to protect public safety, and we expect all XL Bully owners to comply with the strict conditions.
“We continue to work with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to prevent dog attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog, addressing dog control issues before they escalate and using the full force of the law where needed."
Since the February ban on owning an XL bully, at least five people in the UK have been killed in an attack involving the breed of dog.
