Instruments of interest
Dangerous Dogs (Compensation and Exemption Schemes) (England and Wales) Order 2023 (SI 2023/1204)
21.This instrument establishes compensation and exemption schemes to support the ban on so-called XL Bully dogs.10 As owning or looking after an XL Bully dog will be prohibited in England and Wales from 1 February 2024, owners will have to decide whether to apply for a Certificate of Exemption to be able to keep the dog, or to arrange for a vet to euthanise the dog and claim compensation. Compensation has been set at £200 for individual dog owners or licensed dog breeders as a payment towards the value of the dog and at £100 for rescue or rehoming organisations to contribute towards the costs of destruction. Owners who wish to keep their dogs will need to have obtained a Certificate of Exemption by 1 February 2024. The exemption scheme sets out several requirements, including that dog owners will need to have third party liability insurance for their dog, that the dog will need to be neutered, and that it will have to be muzzled and put on a lead when in a public place.
10 Dangerous Dogs (Designated Types) (England and Wales) Order 2023 (SI 2023/1164), see: 2nd Report (Session 2023–24, HL Paper 7).