XL Bullies in Southport: the law on rescue and rehoming
The XL Bully is a banned type under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, so no rescue in and around Southport can rehome one and we never list one. Read what the law says below, then see the legal breeds rescues do rehome.
Read this first: the law
The XL Bully was added to section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in England and Wales from 31 December 2023. It is one of five banned types in the UK: Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully (gov.uk). Whether a dog is banned "depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name", so a cross, or a dog listed under another label, can still be a banned type.
An XL Bully is defined by its looks, not its name: a dog at least 20 inches (51cm) at the withers for an adult male or 19 inches (48cm) for a female, with a substantial number of the physical characteristics in the official XL Bully standard. Scotland uses the same standard.
In England and Wales it has been illegal to breed, sell, advertise, give away or exchange an XL Bully since 31 December 2023, and to own one without a Certificate of Exemption since 1 February 2024 (gov.uk).
It is against the law to sell, abandon, give away or breed from a banned dog (gov.uk). You can only keep one with a Certificate of Exemption: the dog must be neutered, microchipped, kept on a lead and muzzled in public and kept secure, and its owner must be over 16. Otherwise the penalty is an unlimited fine or up to 6 months in prison, or both, and the dog is destroyed.
So no UK rescue can rehome the XL Bully, and we never list one: our listings leave out any dog named as a banned type, so this page shows no dogs. If you want a strong, people-focused dog, rescues do rehome the legal breeds below.
Legal breeds rescues do rehome
XL Bullies in Southport: your questions
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Can I adopt a XL Bully in Southport?
No. The XL Bully is a banned type in the UK, so no rescue can legally rehome one, and we never list one. Rescues in and around Southport do rehome legal breeds such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, Boxers and British Bulldogs.
Is the XL Bully banned in Southport?
The XL Bully was added to section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in England and Wales from 31 December 2023. It is one of five banned types in the UK: Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully (gov.uk). Whether a dog is banned "depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name", so a cross, or a dog listed under another label, can still be a banned type. An XL Bully is defined by its looks, not its name: a dog at least 20 inches (51cm) at the withers for an adult male or 19 inches (48cm) for a female, with a substantial number of the physical characteristics in the official XL Bully standard. Scotland uses the same standard. In England and Wales it has been illegal to breed, sell, advertise, give away or exchange an XL Bully since 31 December 2023, and to own one without a Certificate of Exemption since 1 February 2024 (gov.uk). It is against the law to sell, abandon, give away or breed from a banned dog (gov.uk). You can only keep one with a Certificate of Exemption: the dog must be neutered, microchipped, kept on a lead and muzzled in public and kept secure, and its owner must be over 16. Otherwise the penalty is an unlimited fine or up to 6 months in prison, or both, and the dog is destroyed.
What if I already have a XL Bully?
You can only keep a banned dog with a Certificate of Exemption, and it is against the law to sell, give away or breed from one (gov.uk). Never list one, on LocalPetFinder or anywhere else.
Which similar breeds can I adopt in Southport?
Rescues rehome many strong, people-focused dogs that are not banned types: Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, Boxers and British Bulldogs, and crossbreeds of every kind. Each rescue assesses its dogs before rehoming, and a dog with the characteristics of a banned type can't be rehomed whatever its label.