Banned dogs
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, The Dangerous Dogs (Designated Types) Order 1991 and The Dangerous Dogs (Designated Types) (England and Wales) Order 2023, it is illegal to own any of these dogs without specific exemption from a court:
- The Pit Bull Terrier
- The Japanese Tosa
- The Dogo Argentino
- The Fila Brasiliero
- The XL Bully
Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like and it's characteristic, rather than its breed or name.
It’s against the law to:
- sell a banned dog
- abandon a banned dog
- give away a banned dog
- breed from a banned dog
However, any dog may be considered to be dangerous under the above Acts. An offence is committed by the owner of the dog and by any other person in charge of it at the time, if the dog is dangerously out of control. A more serious offence will be committed if the dog while so out of control injures a person.