Owning an American Bully XL dog
Following an announcement from the UK Government, it is now illegal to own an American Bully XL dog in England and Wales if they are not registered on the Index of Exempted dogs.
It is a criminal offence to own an unregistered American Bully XL dog, with owners facing a criminal record and unlimited fine if they do not comply. Owners must also have third party public liability insurance in place.
To have a Certificate of Exemption, owners must ensure the American Bully XL dog is:
- confirmed to be neutered by a vet,
- microchipped
- owned by person over the age of 16
- kept in a secure place so it cannot escape and kept on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public. For tenants and leaseholders, this would include any communal areas, including inside blocks of flats.
Council tenants are also breaching their tenancy agreement if they own an American Bully XL dog without a Certificate of Exemption.
Advice for tenants and leaseholders
If you, or your tenants, own this breed of dog and have a Certificate of Exemption, we ask that you provide a copy to us. This will enable us to update our records in line with government guidelines and manage any related concerns from others in the building, should they arise.
Mansfield District Council would like to reassure all residents that we do not wish to evict anyone for owning an American Bully XL dog, nor do we wish for tenants’ dogs to be euthanised if this is avoidable.
We cannot make third party reports on resident's behalf. If you suspect that your neighbour or another resident has a banned breed, please report it directly to the police or local authority officers, as it is their role to enforce the law regarding Certificate of Exemption.
We are unable to determine if a dog is a banned breed. However, we will work with and support partners to do so.
If you have any further questions about the American Bully XL dog ban, please contact us.
For more information about owning an American Bully XL dog, please visit the Dogs Trust website (opens in new window).