XL Bully dogs have been silenced by their owners after tough new laws for the breed came into effect today – but some are still trying to rehome their dogs despite the practice now being illegal.
Today it is a criminal offense to carry dogs in public without a muzzle or leash, and breeding, selling, sheltering or abandoning dogs is also against the law.
Some owners have shared photos of their animals with their new muzzles, but others say their pets are “ripping them off” and refusing to wear them.
However, others are still trying to rehome their animals, either believing the law is not yet in effect or openly expressing their disdain for the legislation.
Owners have been encouraged to apply for a current pet exemption before the January 31 deadline; From February 1st it will be a criminal offense in England and Wales to own a size XL bully dog without a certificate.
Owners have shared pictures of their muzzled XL Bully dogs on social media after the ban was imposed from today. Under new laws, it is now illegal to allow XL Bully dogs in public without a leash or muzzle to reduce incidents related to the mixed breed. Some would-be relocators on social media seem to mistakenly believe that the legislation only comes into effect at midnight tonight comes into force. Some owners say they have difficulty convincing their dogs to wear muzzles outside. One wrote that one of their dogs “doesn’t want to walk and keeps kicking it.” Advertisements on Forever Puppy, a pet classifieds website, continue to offer XL Bully puppies
Owners have been sharing pictures of their dogs in Facebook groups, with mixed results in getting their dogs to wear the mandatory mouthpieces.
One simply said, “The puppy is fine with the muzzle on,” but the owner of a four-month-old puppy said his pet was “having problems this morning and kept crying.”
Another owner shared a photo of her two XL Bully dogs and wrote: “I sat here this morning crying my eyes out when the news this morning confirmed that today is the day to wear muzzles outside the house must.”
“I have two beautiful XLs… one runs great on the snout, but the big bear… has none of it.
“He turns into a statue, doesn't want to leave and keeps tearing it down.” I feel broken.
“My babies can't go on walks together anymore until they get along with the muzzle. 'I'm just sitting here, defeated by everything.'
Animal welfare organizations have been urging owners to train their dogs to wear a muzzle for months. The law was announced in September after a spate of deadly and serious attacks and was detailed in late October.
Some Facebook groups dedicated to sheltering the animals were closed at midnight after the law came into force.
However, others remain active, and members now openly offer to transport animals, although this is now against the law.
This is partly due to the misunderstanding of those offering their help that the law only comes into force at midnight tonight. The government says the new law is “now in force”.
“From today it is also illegal to breed, sell, advertise, give away, exchange, abandon or allow XL Bully dogs to stray,” a government spokesman said today.
But others openly declare that they will ignore the legislation, or post anonymously so that their names and faces do not appear alongside their offers of help.
One said: 'If anyone out there has an XL that needs a home then they've got one with me.' (F***) the stupid law.'
Another added: “Looking for an XL too! Yes, (f***) the law, (f***) Sunak, peace from s*** (sic).'
Some social media users are falsely claiming that people can still shelter their XL Bully dogs, while others have openly expressed their disdain for the new law. The crackdown on XL Bully dogs comes into force today, meaning the sale of the breed is illegal. A horror dog XL Bully attack that took place in Mansfield earlier this month
Elsewhere, private listing websites like Forever Puppy continued to offer XL Bully dogs for sale, even though selling the mixed breeds is now against the law.
Advertisements, first reported by The Sun, suggest the dogs are still being sold online by owners and breeders.
Forever Puppy told the newspaper that ads “referring to XL Bullies” would be removed, but Web found additional ads that remained online.
The company said: “If you notice anything that has been missed, please let us know immediately as we take this very seriously.”
On TikTok, a dog breeder said to be based in London continued to offer puppies, even though it is now illegal to breed and rehome the dogs.
When a user asked today if they still had dogs for sale, the breeder replied: “Yes, if you are seriously interested, reply to my message.”
They suggested the dogs would be sold for £300 each, but the price was “debatable”.
Animal rights groups fear the ban will overwhelm rescue centers and veterinarians – hundreds of the dogs are due to be euthanized this week.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said the government had fulfilled its commitment to take “swift and decisive action” after a series of attacks, several fatal, believed to be linked to the mixed breed crossing.
But the RSPCA said the measures were “not the answer” and warned of a “major risk” that rescue centers and vets would not be able to cope with the likely increase in demand.
Samantha Gaines, dog welfare expert at the charity, said: “What is really worrying is that the ban has been introduced so quickly that there may be owners who are unwilling to ensure their dog is happy when they are wear one.” Shut up.
“There is a fear that for some reason people have stopped a little too late and what that means.”
She added: “Breed is not a good or reliable predictor of aggressive behavior.”
“Whether or not a dog later exhibits aggressive behavior depends on how it was bred, how it was raised and what life experiences it has.”
Instead of targeting dogs with new laws, existing laws should be used more effectively to crack down on people who exploit and breed the animals irresponsibly, Dr. Gaines.
And she warned against “misleading the public that they will be safer when we really need to address the causes.”
Owners are selling their XL Bullys online for just £10 in a desperate attempt to get rid of them. Another owner is giving away his XL Bully female dog for free to try to get rid of the dog. A year-old XL Bully was listed for sale on Facebook for £200. The people up
Meanwhile, the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) warned of rising abandonment rates and said the new rules could lead to a “postcode lottery” for vets who could help owners comply.
To qualify for an exemption certificate, owners must provide proof that their XL Bully has been neutered by June 30th.
If the puppy is younger than one year by January 31st, it must be neutered by the end of 2024 and proof must be provided.
READ MORE: Dozens of XL Bully owners gather on the beach to walk their dogs without a muzzle one last time before new restrictions come into effect TODAY
XL Bully owners who apply for an exemption must not only neuter their animals, but also pay an application fee, have active liability insurance for their pets, and ensure the dogs are microchipped.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said a “phased approach” to restrictions was taken to safely manage the existing population of XL Bully dogs and ultimately ban the breed.
The dogs were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act on October 31, giving owners two months to prepare for the first stage of restrictions.
People with dangerously out-of-control dogs can be sentenced to 14 years in prison, banned from owning animals, and have their pets euthanized.
Mr Barclay said: “The Prime Minister has pledged to take swift and decisive action by the end of 2023 to protect the public from devastating dog attacks.”
“We have fulfilled this promise – it is now a legal requirement that XL bully dogs must wear a muzzle and be kept on a leash in public.” It is now also illegal to breed XL bully dogs, too sell, advertise, give away, exchange, expose or let stray.
“All XL Bully owners are expected to abide by the law and we will continue to work closely with police, canine and veterinary experts and animal welfare groups, with further restrictions on XL Bully dogs coming in on February 1st “Strike power.”