American bully XL owner: 'I'd sooner go to jail than lose my dogs'

Aichaa is worried about the future of her dogs in the wake of the XL bully ban

The owner of two XL bully dogs has said she would rather go to jail than have her pets taken away.

Aichaa, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, said she had taken the necessary steps to legalise her dogs, but was still worried about their future.

"Every day I worry about them being taken away from me," she told the BBC.

Following a number of attacks the XL bully was added to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act in England and Wales.

Since 31 December 2023, it has been against the law to sell, abandon, breed from or give away an XL bully, or have one in public without a lead and muzzle.

From 1 February, it will be illegal to own one without an exemption certificate.

Aichaa owns one-year-old rescue dog Zaviour, who has been neutered, and four-month-old Diamond.

She sees herself as a responsible XL bully owner, does not take their leads off in public, and they are currently undergoing muzzle training, though the dogs are finding it difficult to adapt.

Aichaa also said her five-year-old daughter was nervous around the breed, having been bitten by a friend's XL bully, but still had a strong bond with Zaviour.

She added that the bite was not serious, she took immediate action when it happened, and had not realised her daughter had gone upstairs where the dog was.

Getting an exemption certificate

• A certificate of exemption to legally keep a dog is available on the government's website

• Owners will need third-party liability insurance and insurance against the dog injuring other people

• The dog must be microchipped (already a legal requirement)

• The dog must be neutered

• Owners must then adhere to the conditions or possibly be charged with a criminal offence or have their dog seized

Source: RSPCA

She said: "My dogs are calm. They're very playful and excitable, but their temperaments are fine. They're not aggressive, they'd never hurt anybody.

"It's ridiculous. I understand they're big dogs, they're strong, and they could cause a lot of damage, but it's down to the owners of the dog, because any dog is capable to bite and attack and hurt somebody.

"A dog is a reflection of how they are raised by their owner. I don't think you should discriminate a dog breed, you should be getting onto the owners."

Dr Sam Gaines, dog welfare expert at the RSCPA, said her charity was opposed to "breed-specific legislation".

She said she would rather see a "clampdown on irresponsible breeding, on owners who are using dogs to deliberately threaten people or have them out of control, and just a general focus on encouraging responsible dog ownership".

The RSPCA has also warned of extra pressures on rescue centres and vets, with a likely surge in demand in the wake of the ban.

'Strict conditions'

A Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) spokesperson said: "We have taken quick and decisive action to protect the public from dog attacks, with the XL bully type added to the list of dogs prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

"Clear guidance has been published on the action that owners need to take - with a transition period running until 31 January 2024, allowing those who wish to keep their dog to apply for an exemption scheme.

"This guidance also sets out strict conditions on XL bully types which must now be met - including that owners cannot sell nor exchange their dogs from this date."

The breed joins the American pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the Dogo Argentinos and the Fila Brazileiro on the banned list.

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