Over 4,500 XL bullies seized a year on from ban, as police chiefs warn of 'huge cost' of housing dangerous dogs

29 January 2025, 00:03

XL Bullies are largely banned in the UK
XL Bullies are largely banned in the UK. Picture: Alamy

By Kit Heren

Police have seized over 4,500 XL bullies since the ban came in a year ago - and chiefs are now warning of the huge extra cost that means for their forces.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Kennel spaces for dangerous dogs seized by police are already reaching capacity, with costs nearly tripling over the past year in comparison to six years previously.

The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said vet bills and the cost of kennelling banned breeds had risen from £4 million in 2018 to more than £11 million between February and September 2024, adding it can cost around £1,000 a month to keep an XL bully in kennels.

The NPCC said the figure is expected "to rise to as much as £25 million" for the period from February 2024 to April 2025 - representing a predicted 500% increase in police costs from 2018.

Since February, it has been a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate, meaning unregistered pets will be taken and owners possibly fined and prosecuted.

Read more: XL Bullies have created a 'new burden on policing' as forces have to look after dogs waiting for court hearings

Read more: Police force apologises to family after putting down pet XL bully by mistake

New dangerous dogs law is a 'burden' for police

As well as the XL bully, other banned types of dog under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 include the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro.

Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the NPCC's lead for dangerous dogs, said the ban was placing "a huge burden on policing".

The police officer added: "We are facing a number of challenges in kennel capacity, resourcing and ever-mounting costs, and as of today we have not received any additional funding to account for this.

West Midlands Police during a county lines raid in Coventry, in which Eight XL bully dogs were seized
West Midlands Police during a county lines raid in Coventry, in which Eight XL bully dogs were seized. Picture: Alamy

"We urgently need the Government to support us in coping with the huge demand the ban has placed on our ever-stretched resources."

Mr Hobrough said conversations were "ongoing with Defra" but there was no formal agreement "whereby any funding has come into any police force to account for these additional demand factors".

Caller argues XL Bullies are owned by the same people who own guns in the US

Speaking at a media briefing to mark one year since the ban came into force, Mr Hobrough said a "huge amount of dogs" had been reported to police over the last year.

Police forces seized 4,586 suspected Section 1 banned dogs throughout England and Wales between February and September 2024.

According to the NPCC, there were 120 dog liaison officers across England and Wales before the ban, with 100 subsequently trained, and a further 40 to be trained.

Mr Hobrough said this meant "in some areas established dog handlers have been called away from other policing duties".

The NPCC said around £560,000 had been spent by police forces on staff overtime between February and September last year in relation to dogs.

Tom Swarbrick: 'If your first thought is you're going to get rid of your dog by tying it to a lamppost, then you shouldn't own one in the first place.'

The Chief Constable of Gwent Police added: "We have had to purchase additional vehicles, equipment and find countless extra kennel spaces from the finite that are available within the industry."

He said changes to legislation would be "beneficial", as it currently gives police forces "just one route" through the court system to deal with dog owners.

The NPCC said it was "aware of court cases not being scheduled until mid-2026" for some dangerously out of control dog cases.

Mr Hobrough told the PA news agency: "What would be helpful would be if we had alternative methods of dealing with people who were in possession of such dogs.

"I think all of us would agree that an unscrupulous dog breeder keeping their dog in abhorrent conditions - using practices such as ear cropping, artificial insemination and keeping them in squalid conditions - they should definitely be going through a court system.

"But an individual, who maybe inadvertently came into a dog that unknowingly they thought was not exempt, if they were of good character and compliance, could potentially benefit from being dealt with outside of a court system."

An XL Bully
An XL Bully. Picture: Getty

The police officer said existing legislation did not give police forces the ability to apply for "cost recompensation in any shape or form", adding that there needed to be a "focus on responsible dog ownership".

Discussing the introduction of the ban, Mr Hobrough said there had been a "real requirement for action" to address the "increasing problem of XL bullies".

He added: "We actively encourage people to report dogs that they're concerned about within their communities, so that we can take the appropriate action."

Mr Hobrough said he was "sure" the number of attacks by XL bullies would "decline over time" because it was no longer in the interest of organised crime groups to produce them.

NPCC tactical lead Superintendent Patrick O'Hara said he did not think all XL bullies were automatically dangerous, but they had the "propensity" to be by their "sheer size and power".

Speaking at the briefing, Mr O'Hara added: "In the right hands, with the right socialisation, with a really responsible owner, a lot of those dogs will never come to notice."

The NPCC said forces in England and Wales seized and euthanised 848 dogs between February and September 2024 at an estimated cost of £340,000.

These were dogs which were surrendered to police by owners who had not complied with the ban, nor taken advantage of the compensation scheme.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The Church of England's governing body has voted against a fully independent safeguarding body

Church of England vote 'a punch in the gut for victims' as Synod rejects independent safeguarding

Oliver Ryan and Andrew Gwynne have been suspended

Eleven Labour councillors suspended for being part of offensive WhatsApp group after two MPs also punished

A major travel agent has urged families to go on holiday during Easter rather than the summer

Save thousands by going on holiday at Easter instead of summer, British families told

Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to tear up the ceasefire deal

Netanyahu’s ultimatum to Hamas: Return hostages by Saturday deadline or ceasefire gives way to 'intense fighting'

Sir Alex Ferguson and Wayne Rooney were in attendance at Denis Law's funeral

Stars pay final respects to Denis Law as Manchester United legend laid to rest

Strangers bar is to reopen following spiking allegation

MPs bar to reopen with extra security after spiking claims

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour

Post-mortem results reveal fatal injuries of British couple found dead at home in rural French village

Salman Rushdie gives evidence in court as author gives evidence against alleged knife attacker

Salman Rushdie gives evidence in court as author gives evidence against alleged knife attacker

The Huszti sisters

Bodies recovered from river in Scotland confirmed as missing sisters

Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson arrives at Derby Crown Court, where he is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm between May 13 and 17 2020 and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour between May 2015 and June 2023,

Wife of Bargain Hunt star 'paralysed with fear' when husband Charles Hanson 'attacked' her while pregnant

Luis Rubiales is on trial in Madrid accused of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips

Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales 'absolutely sure' kiss with Jenni Hermoso after World Cup win was consensual

Pedstrian faced half an hour queues on Hammersmith Bridge this morning

Commuter chaos as footway closure causes 30-minute pedestrian traffic jam on Hammersmith Bridge

Kanye West's store taken down by Shopify over sale of Swastika t-shirts following Super Bowl storm

Kanye West's store taken down by Shopify over sale of Swastika t-shirts following Super Bowl storm

Chelsea and Australia striker Sam Kerr found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer

Chelsea star Sam Kerr cleared of racially aggravated harassment after calling officer 'stupid and white'

Warren Gatland who has quit Wales during the Six Nations

Wales rugby coach Warren Gatland quits mid Six Nations following record run of defeats

Park rangers are attempting to capture an estimated 20 feral pigs

Park rangers hunt for 20 feral pigs in Scottish Highlands following 'illegal release'