Pit Bulls in Stoke-on-Trent: the law on rescue and rehoming
The Pit Bull is a banned type under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, so no rescue in and around Stoke-on-Trent 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 Pit Bull Terrier is named in section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 ("any dog of the type known as the pit bull terrier"). 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.
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 Pit Bull, 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
Pit Bulls in Stoke-on-Trent: your questions
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Can I adopt a Pit Bull in Stoke-on-Trent?
No. The Pit Bull is a banned type in the UK, so no rescue can legally rehome one, and we never list one. Rescues in and around Stoke-on-Trent do rehome legal breeds such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, Boxers and British Bulldogs.
Is the Pit Bull banned in Stoke-on-Trent?
The Pit Bull Terrier is named in section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 ("any dog of the type known as the pit bull terrier"). 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. 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 Pit Bull?
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 Stoke-on-Trent?
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.