XL Bully toll: 100 dogs destroyed a month since ban with £25m spent on kennelling
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More than 100 dangerous dogs have been destroyed a month since XL bullies were banned - with an astonishing £25m spent on kennelling the animals. In the first eight months of 2024, 1,991 suspected banned dogs had been seized, up from 283 in 2023, and 818 dogs had been destroyed, more than double 2023’s figure, the BBC has reported following Freedom of Information Act (FOI) responses from 19 police forces in England and Wales.
Since February, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate, meaning unregistered pets will be taken and owners possibly fined and prosecuted. As well as the XL bully, other banned types of dog include the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro.
Superintendent Patrick O’Hara, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) dangerous dogs portfolio, said: “The cost of kennelling and veterinary bills alone currently stands in excess of £11 million and is expected to total over £25 million by the end of the financial year.” He said the new legislation “has placed huge additional demand on our resources”.
The Mirror has campaigned to overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act as Brits continue to be killed or seriously injured in vicious dog attacks. Before the XL bully ban was introduced, there were 120 dog liaison officers across England and Wales but more than an additional 100 officers and staff have been redeployed from other areas to support the dangerous dog response, Mr O’Hara added.
