{"id":480,"date":"2023-03-02T15:26:52","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T15:26:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/householdpets.co.uk\/?p=480"},"modified":"2024-03-18T11:32:36","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T11:32:36","slug":"what-dogs-are-illegal-in-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/householdpets.co.uk\/what-dogs-are-illegal-in-the-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"What Banned Dogs are Illegal in the UK?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
As part of the Protection of Animals Act<\/a> (1911), animal fighting was outlawed. This means activities, such as badger and bear baiting, cockfighting, as well as dog fighting, were made illegal. Unfortunately, this did not successfully work to wipe out the dog fighting practice in the UK. Between 2015 and 2020, it was reported that the RSPCA received over 9000 reports<\/a> of organised dog fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The dogs that are most commonly used in dog fighting have also been made illegal in this country; this was part of the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991). However, some people still dispute this decision to ban specific breeds, with some stating that aggressive behaviours are the result of negligent owners and not just the nature of the dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are four dog breeds that are banned by the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) in the UK; the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro. These breeds have been deemed the most dangerous as they were traditionally bred for dog fighting.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n This article will focus on the four banned dog breeds, their histories, as well as some background into the laws related to these dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1991, the UK government created the Dangerous Dogs Act<\/a> (1991) after several injuries or deaths from dog attacks, involving particular breeds. The law means owning, breeding, selling, or exchanging these dogs is illegal. This also includes crossbreed dogs of these banned breeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This law was extended to include private property in 2014, instead of just dogs on public grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For many people, this act is known as breed-specific legislation, which has meant some people have questioned this law. These people believe a dog’s behaviour is the result of the training the dog<\/a> receives and how it is brought up, not just dependent on the specific breed. They disagree with a blanket ban on specific breeds and would like to see the law changed; however, it is unlikely the banned breeds would be allowed back into the UK in the near future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it is important to note that the Dangerous Dogs Act applies to all dog owners, regardless of breed or size. Dogs that are acting out of control in public or private areas can be reported; this includes dogs that injure someone or cause someone to worry that it might injure them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although it is now legal to keep some exotic animals as pets, including capybaras and sugar gliders, four dog breeds, traditionally bred for fighting, are currently banned in the UK. This is likely to change to five dog breeds by the end of 2023 if the American XL bully dog is added to the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below, you can see what dogs are currently illegal to own in the UK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\n The Dangerous Dogs Act (1991)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dog Breeds Banned by the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pit Bull Terrier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n