A leading animal charity has called for an in-depth review of dog control legislation, claiming the recent ban on XL Bully breeds is “failing” to protect the public.
Thousands of suspected banned dogs have been seized and hundreds euthanised since the Government introduced its ban on XL Bully dogs in December 2023, official data shows — yet dog attacks and human fatalities persist, the RSPCA has warned.
Data obtained by the RSPCA from 19 police forces across the UK shows that in 2024, 1,035 dogs were seized as suspected banned types and a majority of those — 674, or more than 65% — were assessed and identified as XL bullies. Across all 43 forces, the numbers will be considerably higher, it said.
Despite the ban on XL Bullies, there were ten reported dog-related fatalities in the UK in 2024 — higher than in any full year before the ban was first announced, while police forces also reported seeing more out-of-control dog attacks causing injury in 2024.
The five police forces reporting the highest number of seized dogs were Leicestershire (192 dogs, including 177 XL bullies), Nottinghamshire (145, including 132 XL Bullies), Thames Valley (134), Humberside (99) and Lincolnshire (52).
Only seven police forces reported euthanasia figures, but figures show 511 banned types of dog were put to sleep. Of those dogs put to sleep by police forces, a majority were assessed as XL bullies.
Pet experts say that dangerous dog laws in England and Wales has focused on “how a dog looks rather than its behaviour”.
Now, they are calling on ministers to commit to a full and in depth review of dog control, as this week the Dangerous Dogs Act marks 34 years on the statute book.
The charity has urged decision makers to prioritise encouraging responsible dog ownership rather than banning breeds based on their appearance.
Under section one the Dangerous Dogs Act, dogs can be seized if they are a prohibited type, namely an XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino or Fila Brasileiro.
Dr Samantha Gaines, Head of Companion Animals at the RSPCA, said the data shows a “predictable and depressing picture” for bully breeds, with large numbers being seized and put to sleep.
"Many of these dogs will have been much-loved family pets; their existence made illegal by a change of legislation focused purely on how a dog looks rather than their behaviour,” she said.
XL Bullies can only be kept legally as pets if they comply with strict regulations, including the owner having obtained an exemption certificate by the end of January 2024, and that they wear a muzzle in all public places.
Hippo, an XL bully, was adopted by Hannah Graham from the RSPCA's Southridge Animal Centre just three days before the ban on adopting them came into force at the end of 2023.
Ms Graham said: "The staff at Southridge were all absolutely amazing.
"The moment we saw his picture on the RSPCA website, it really was love at first sight. But we weren't local, and needed to ensure he'd get on with our existing dog. We travelled down to the centre, stayed nearby overnight, and luckily it was a perfect match."
As part of the adoption process, Hannah had to ensure she was able to comply with all of the rules around owning XL Bullies under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Ms Graham added: "It was quite a stressful process. The rules were quite vague, and there was pressure on us on how to interpret them. The ban also came in quite quickly, meaning muzzles weren't routinely available straight away in sizes suitable for an XL bully and initially we found muzzles were just too small for him. We were worried he would be too hot going out, or have issues with panting. Thankfully, he has a much bigger muzzle now."
"Within hours, he just wanted cuddles. He's a dog who wants to be close to us all the time - he loves people; and everyone he meets and sees," she added.
"Some people avoid us out and about or are cautious and we know some people aren't comfortable about XL Bullies. But others make a big effort to come and say hello and meet him; and for those initially nervous, Hippo often changes their mind with his infectious personality.
"I've worked in animal rescue before and am really supportive of ongoing efforts to campaign against the XL Bully ban, and breed specific legislation in general.
“The wrong dogs are targeted by the ban - so many innocent dogs have been affected; and sadly unsavoury people who don't look after dogs properly or want to do harm will find a way around the law or just move onto a different breed anyway. That's why I support dog licensing instead."
Dr Gaines said: "It is absolutely heartbreaking that dog fatalities and serious bite incidents are continuing and in very concerning numbers which underlines that the Dangerous Dog Act simply isn't working, and hasn’t been for 34 years.
"The UK Government urgently needs to adopt a different approach; focused instead on preventing dangerous behaviours rather than focusing on the dog's individual breed.
"The law has been failing dogs and, crucially, public safety too for long. It's time for decision makers to review the current dog control situation and commit to measures which effectively protect public safety and safeguard dog welfare."
