Norfolk Dog trainer says he's seen "huge influx in calls", year on from XL Bully ban
It's been a year since it become a criminal offence to own or possess one of these dogs in England without a valid certificate of exemption
A man who trains dogs in Norfolk says he's had a "huge influx of calls" from owners of XL Bully's- who need help muzzle training their pets and boosting their own confidence when walking them.
It's exactly a year since it became illegal to own this breed of dog in the UK- without an exemption- after several people were seriously injured or killed by these animals across the country, in 2024.
Under these rules t’s also an offence to:
-Sell an XL Bully dog
-Abandon an XL Bully dog or let it stray
-Give away an XL Bully dog
-Breed or breed from an XL Bully dog
-Have an XL Bully in public without a lead and muzzle
"I've also noticed that many XL Bully owners are scared and frightened to go out in public with their dog"
Damion Vincent is from 'Fetch Dog Walking and Training'- based near Norwich:
"One thing that's been noticed since this ban is the rise of costs of kennels and vet bills. Nationally, this has risen from £4 to £11 million between February and September of last year.
"As a dog trainer, I've also noticed that many XL Bully owners are scared and frightened to go out in public with their dog, even if it has a muzzle on, due to the public perception around the dog itself".
"People will automatically think that XL Bully dogs are dangerous. But in the hands of a really responsible owner a lot of these dogs will never come to notice.
"So it's vitally important that the owners of these dogs continue to keep walking their dog and enriching it's life, while also keeping to the restrictions".
You can read more on the 'XL Bully dog ban' here.