In 2023 and 2024, the UK government banned XL Bullies in England, Wales and Scotland due to an increase in incidents involving XL Bully dogs. By 1 February 2024, it was made illegal to own an XL Bully dog unless you had a valid Certificate of Exemption and followed the rules set in place.
Defra, the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, recently announced some changes affecting XL Bully owners and those with banned dog breeds under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The new changes will come into effect in stages to help owners adapt.
Here’s everything you need to know about the recent changes.
What are the new updates from Defra?
There are two updates from Defra regarding the XL Bully ban, which include an update on:
What is the new update on banned dog breeds’ third-party public liability insurance?
From 1 July 2026, if you have an XL Bully or any banned dog in the UK, you will no longer need to have third-party public liability insurance for your Certificate of Exemption. However, you must continue to have third-party public liability insurance until 30 June 2026 for your certificate to remain valid.
If you have an existing third-party pet insurance policy with Dogs Trust and it’s renewed before 30 June 2026, your policy will run for the usual 12-month term. You’ll not be able to renew your third-party pet insurance policy with Dogs Trust once it’s expired.
What is the update on child safety?
From 1 November 2026, it will become illegal to leave a 12-year-old child or under with an XL Bully dog, or any banned dog from the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, without adult supervision. Therefore, you will need to watch over any child under 12 years old that interacts with your banned breed type dog. Once Defra releases more information on this, we’ll share the details here.
Despite this law focusing on banned breeds, any dog can pose a risk to child, which is why we recommend always supervising children around any type of dog. Find out more about keeping your children safe and happy around dogs here.
Is anything else changing with my Certificate of Exemption?
No, the only changes are related to third-party liability insurance, which comes into effect on 1 July 2026, and an update to children’s safety on 1 November 2026.
You must still follow the rules of the Certificate of Exemption, such as:
- Keeping your dog muzzled and on a lead in public.
- Making sure your dog is kept securely at home.
- Be over 16 years old to own a banned dog breed.
Read our expert Pet Health Hub article on muzzle training for more information on keeping your dog muzzled.