From 1 February 2024, it is a criminal offence to own an XL Bully in England and Wales without a valid Certificate of Exemption.
It’s also an offence to:
- Sell an XL Bully dog
- Abandon an XL Bully dog or let it stray
- Give away an XL Bully dog
- Breed or breed from an XL Bully dog
- Have an XL Bully dog in public without a lead and muzzle
Please note, applications for a Certificate of Exemption to keep an XL Bully have now closed. New exemptions can only be obtained by court order.
If you have an XL Bully, you must:
- Keep the dog at the same address as the certificate holder (you can keep the dog at a different address for a maximum of 30 days in a 12-month period)
- If your tenancy ends with us, you must inform the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) of your new permanent address https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-defra
- Tell Defra if the dog dies or is exported
- Have third party public liability insurance for your dog and provide Defra with proof that you have renewed it every year
- Keep the dog muzzled in public places. This includes communal spaces indoor and outdoor spaces around your property
- Keep the dog on a lead in public places. It must be securely held by someone who is at least 16 years old
- Keep the dog in secure conditions where it cannot escape. If you have a private garden or balcony, this must be kept secure at all times.
For further guidance, please see Ban on XL Bully dogs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Hightown’s role:
As per your tenancy agreement, you must obtain permission for a pet. You can find the form here.
We are working closely with the Police and Local Authorities on this.
Please contact Hightown on 01442 292300 or Housing.ManagementAdmin@hightownha.org.uk to provide your exemption certificate.
Here's a leaflet from Dog's Trust.
