Kent Police anticipates spending over £1 million in 2024/25 on seizing and caring for XL bully dogs after the ban.
The police chief acknowledged these high costs at a public meeting recently. Costs include kennels and vets, and handling these dogs also strains staff. They trained two more dog handlers and now have six officers for dog laws.
The police chief supports the XL bully ban, but he said the government offered no support, which makes it hard to manage the ban well. They expect to spend £1,028,181 by April. One dog was put down every five days earlier.
Police seized 70 XL bullies at first in the ban’s first six months. They destroyed 34 of those dogs. Nine dogs went back to their owners. Twenty-five stayed in kennels, and two dogs died while in custody.
About 265 dogs got seized later on, averaging 26 dogs each month from February to December. They think seizures will reach 300 by April. Details on dog deaths after that remain unclear.
A police representative wants fairer funding to help manage seized dogs. Calls about dangerous dogs fell a bit, but still remain higher than before. They expected more calls after a neutering deadline, but that increase did not happen.
Exemption breaches will likely increase due to dog insurance renewals. It’s illegal to sell or breed XL bullies now. Owners must register their dogs; they also must neuter and muzzle them, and dogs need to be on a leash.
Possessing an XL bully became illegal in February 2024 if they lacked a valid certificate. Bans have followed in Scotland and Ireland. Despite the bans, attacks still happen in Kent.
Babies have been hurt in these attacks, and police officers also got hurt during raids. A baby suffered really bad injuries in Hawkinge. Police seized the dog then, and a vet later put it down.
The baby received care in intensive care and was put into an induced coma, which helped her chance of recovery. She did not need surgery for her injuries and left the hospital after three weeks.
The government added the breed to a list after a rise in XL bully attacks, including some deaths. The move caused outrage, and people protested the ban across the country.