XL Bully ban should be about owners not the dogs says Teesside charity
Maxi's Mates say the Government have targeted the wrong end of the lead
Last updated 1st May 2025
A Teesside rescue and rehoming centre for dogs say they do not agree with the ban on XL bullies, nearly a year on.
Tomorrow marks 12-months since the Government introduced the need for a valid exemption certificate.
Maxi's Mates say the Government have 'targeted the wrong end of the lead' and it should be about the owners instead.
Jane Galliford, trustee and kennel co-ordinator, said: "We've only had one XL bully brought in since the ban and unfortunately that dog had to be euthanised as the law. We've just got another one today and we're in a little bit of a quandary about what to do with this one because everyone's seems to be in the dark. They're wanting me to ring the police to see if they'll deal with it so we're in a little bit of a panic mode at the moment.
"We've said from day one that we're not getting involved in that. Yes, we do realise that we might have to hold the dog for a week but we're not getting involved in putting any dogs to sleep for no reason. This one today is female and a lovely, friendly dog so why does she have to be put to sleep? It's not our decision.
"We don't agree with it the ban. It's the owner that needs to bear the consequences of whatever their dog has done and I do think the Government has targeted the wrong end of the lead. I also think there's a better solution because what's going to happen is they're just going to ban the next breed and then the next breed and the next and that's just stupid. It's the individual person that needs banning.
"These people will go out and get another dog. These people that are giving this particular breed a bad name are the dog owners that won't be responsible with any dog that they get, so they really need to be looking at owners, licensing, permission to own certain breeds, it should be deed not breed and the dog should be assessed.
"I do think the whole thing needs looking at. It doesn't matter what breed you've got, it needs to be what the dog is capable of and unfortunately, the terrible things that have happened have been in the wrong hands and they're still going out and getting lots of other different breeds. I kno there's the cane corso and our kennels are flooded with malinois.
"They shouldn't be on the ban list. The Government should now be doing something to stop people taking these dogs on. They should be licensed perhaps but they do look very scary and at our kennels we have a problem with malinois, they're fantastic dogs but they really need to be in the right hands and they're not. People are getting them for protection dogs and training them to attack."
To get in touch with Maxi's Mates, visit their website or Facebook page.