Court rules 17 suspected XL bully dogs be spared

Hugo, an XL Bully dog found abandoned in a park, was taken in by a woman who tried to hide him because she feared he would be euthanised

A court has ordered 17 suspected XL bully dogs be spared from immediate destruction after their owners were brought before magistrates after they failed to register their animals.

In October 2023 the Dangerous Dogs Act was changed to include the controversial breed, which has been linked to numerous attacks on people.

Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court heard 17 civil cases involving seven suspected XLs on Thursday and Friday but all were spared death - and instead were given contingent destruction orders - or cases were adjourned.

The contingent rulings meant the owners can now register their animals for exemption certificates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) - although the dogs could still be destroyed if breaches of the law or conditions are found.

None of the animals in the court cases had been involved in incidents causing injury to humans or other animals.

All XL Bully dogs should have been registered with Defra by 1 February 2024.

Anyone who missed that deadline was committing an offence of possessing a banned breed of dog, unless granted a temporary exemption by police.

Defra has not accepted any registrations for exemption certificates since that deadline except when an unregistered dogs have been subjected to a contingent destruction order.

Effectively it is the equivalent of bail conditions for a dog but any breach of the conditions could lead to the destruction of the dog and possible prosecution of the owner or registered keeper.

Theresa Connolly, 43, of Great Yarmouth, was among those in court for the hearings.

She found her dog, Hugo, abandoned in a park for three consecutive days in February - after the deadline for registration.

Norfolk Police said she had claimed she did not know what breed it was and she tried to get it registered but an examination found it had the characteristics of an XL Bully, the court heard.

Stephen Girling, a lawyer for Norfolk Police, told the court the dog had not been microchipped or castrated and police instructed vets to meet those requirements, at a cost of £523.

Hugo was kept in kennels and eventually returned to Ms Connolly.

Mr Girling added: "Defra won't accept a registration without a court order.

"I have to request a destruction order; you [magistrates] can choose to grant a contingent destruction order."

Magistrate Paul Frary said: "We are not going to have the dog destroyed but it means that you, the owner, have to abide by the requirements of the order.

"If you don't the dog will be destroyed."