The Act prohibits or restricts keeping certain breeds / types of dogs, and makes it a criminal offence to allow any dog, of any breed, to be dangerously out of control.
It is currently illegal to own, breed from, sell, exchange, advertise, give away or abandon the following types of dogs:
If you are found to own a banned dog that is not registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs, you could be imprisoned for six months or fined up to £5000.
The Government has added XL Bully type dogs to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
It is recommended that dog owners consult the Government’s official definition of an XL Bully dog to ascertain whether their dog meets the criteria.
From 31 December 2023 it is against the law to:
A range of resources are available from leading animal welfare organisations to support owners with muzzle training their dogs:
From 1 February 2024 it is a criminal offence to own an XL Bully type in England and Wales unless you have a Certificate of Exemption for your dog. You will need to adhere to strict rules such as neutering and microchipping your dog and keeping it on a lead and muzzled when in public. Battersea, Blue Cross and the RSPCA are providing support towards the cost of neutering your XL Bully type dog through their Veterinary Care Fund.
Those who give up their XL Bully type dog to be euthanised may take it to a registered vet. Owners may claim £200 compensation towards the costs.
Further guidance on the XL Bully type ban, including rules on muzzling, leads and neutering, can be found on the GOV.UK website. On 14 March 2024, the Government extended the deadline to neuter XL Bully type dogs of a certain age; you can read more about this here.
It is against the law to allow a dog to be dangerously out of control anywhere, including:
A dog is considered dangerously of out control if it injures someone or makes someone worried that it might injure them. A court may also deem a dog dangerously out of control if it injures someone else’s animal, or causes another animal’s owner to fear that they would be injured if they intervened. If found guilty, you could be imprisoned for six months or receive an unlimited fine. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.
If you let your dog injure someone, you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years and fined. If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’.
If you allow your dog to kill someone, you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years and get an unlimited fine. If you allow your dog to injure a guide dog, you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years and fined.
Dogs’ teeth can cause deep wounds which can get infected, so you should visit your hospital or doctor’s surgery as soon as possible. This will also mean there is a record of the bite and any treatment needed. This information will be important if you decide to take legal action.
Report any dog bite to your local police and the animal welfare immediately (it is best to have the incident on record with both). The police will decide whether to take legal action.
Please contact the animal welfare team for advice after seeking necessary vet treatment for your animal. It is best to have this incident logged.
Livestock worrying is when a dog attacks, chases or causes any injury, suffering or loss of income to the farm owner. The person in charge of the dog will be held responsible.