The ban on XL Bullies is now in place meaning it's illegal to own one of these dogs unless it has been registered. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's controversial new rule comes after a spate of attacks by the breed causing serious injury and even death. But some owners and animal rights charities say the ban is unfair. Here's the full story.
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00:00 It's thought there are around 50,000 XL bully dogs here in the UK, although some estimates
00:07 have suggested it could be double that.
00:10 After a number of high profile attacks by some dogs of the breed, a ban on XL bullies
00:14 was proposed and now from the 1st February is fully in force.
00:18 It is now illegal to own an XL bully dog unless it is registered and complies with strict
00:22 rules including being neutered and muzzled in public.
00:25 The ban means anyone found in possession of these dogs and is not meeting the rules will
00:29 have their pet seized and faces prosecution, a criminal record and an unlimited fine.
00:35 Owners had until midday on Wednesday to apply for a registration certificate but it's thought
00:39 there will still be around 15,000 unregistered XL bullies across England and Wales, with
00:45 concerns now being raised about police capacity to deal with a high level of non-compliance.
00:50 Also there are those still opposed to the plan, like the Dog Control Coalition, who
00:53 say breed specific bans do not work and are unfair on responsible owners and their animals.