XL Bully owner becomes first known prosecution in Britain for breaching dangerous dog ban
A DOG owner has become the first known person in Britain to be prosecuted for breaching the XL Bully ban.
Patrick McKeown failed to apply for an exemption for the dog or get it neutered in line with the February 1 legislation.
Officers found the animal in the 40-year-old’s back garden when they visited his home in Worthing, Sussex, on a different matter.
McKeown, who also failed to get the dog third party insurance, warned cops it would attack anyone who went near it.
Police obtained a warrant and seized the XL Bully – leading to its owner appearing in court for breaching the ban.
McKeown admitted one count of possessing or having a fighting dog, contrary to the Dangerous Dog Act.
He was made subject to a one-year community order, ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.
JPs issued an order to destroy the dog pending an appeal.
Chief Inspector Simon Starns, from Sussex Police, said: “This was one of the first cases of its type to be prosecuted in Sussex.
“It demonstrates to the public that owners have a responsibility to ensure that they comply with the new laws which are now in force.
“We continue to work closely with partners to ensure dogs are kept safe through responsible ownership and to reduce the risk to the public.
“We continue to ask all dog owners to comply with Government guidance on the ownership of the XL Bully breed of dog.
“This includes ensuring that all XL Bully breed dogs are muzzled and kept on a lead held by someone aged over 16 when in public places.”
On February 1, it became a crime in England and Wales to own an XL Bully without a certificate of exemption.
To apply for a certificate, owners had to prove their XL Bully had been neutered.
Around 40,000 of the animal are understood to have been registered before the law changed – although there are feared to be thousands still on the streets without certificates.
Dangerous Dogs Act explained
After eleven horrific attacks in 1991, Home Secretary Kenneth Baker promised “to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs” by introducing the Dangerous Dogs Act.
The law is often considered controversial as it focuses on a dog’s breed or looks instead of an individual dog’s behaviour, and fails to stem the rise of dog attacks.
According to the RSPCA, over a third of the people killed by dogs since the act was brought in were attacked by legal breeds.
As of December 31 last year, it became illegal to sell, breed or give away XL Bully dogs under the Act.
From February 1, it became illegal to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.
Anyone found in possession of an XL Bully and is not meeting the strict rules will have their dog taken away and face prosecution and a criminal record.
It comes after a spate of fatal attacks, which saw 11 deaths linked to XL Bullies in just three years.
The ban followed a string of attacks – including 11 fatal – that were linked to the dogs in just three years.
XL Bullies were said to be responsible for 20 per cent of dog attacks in 2023.
High profile killings included ten-year-old Jack Lis, who was killed by an XL Bully in Caerphilly, South Wales, while visiting a friend in 2021.
The following year, one-year-old Bella-Rae Birch was mauled to death at her home.
In February, gran Esther Martin, 68, was fatally attacked by the breed – days after the ban came into force.