XL bully owners have just hours left to apply for exemptions to keep their pets

From February 1, it will be a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without a certificate

XL bully ban is coming to effect from tomorrow (PA Wire)

Owners of XL bully dogs have just hours left to apply for certificates of exemption if they wish to keep their pets before a ban on the breed comes into force.

From February 1, it will be a criminal offence to own an XL bully in England and Wales without a certificate.

Applications must be submitted by midday on Wednesday.

It follows restrictions which came into force at the end of last year which mean the dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.

Breeding, selling or abandoning the dogs also became illegal as of December 31.

To qualify for an exemption certificate, owners must prove their XL bully has been neutered by June 30.

If they have a pup which is less than a year old on Wednesday, they must be neutered by the end of 2024, and evidence that they have done so must be provided.

As well as neutering their animals, XL bully owners seeking an exemption must also pay an application fee, hold third party public liability insurance for their pets, and ensure the dogs are microchipped.

The Government move to ban the breed followed a series of attacks involving XL bullies, with one man dying after being savaged by one of the dogs last year.

Owners of XL bully dogs in Scotland will also be subject at a later date to the safeguards after the Scottish Government replicated legislation in place south of the border.

The RSPCA has previously said the measures are “not the answer” and it has warned of a “huge risk” that rescue centres and vets will be unable to cope with a likely surge in demand.

The Association of Dogs and Cats Homes warned of increased abandonment rates and said the new rules may lead to a “postcode lottery” for vets being able to help owners meet the terms.

The dogs were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act on October 31 last year, giving owners two months to prepare for the first stage of restrictions.

People with dangerously out of control dogs can be jailed for 14 years and banned from owning animals, and their pets can be put down.