Bully XL ban has 'huge costs' say Kent Police

Kent Police has asked the government for more funding to help with the "huge costs" of enforcing the XL bully ban.

It has been illegal to own an XL bully since February 2024, unless the owner has an exemption certificate and complies with strict rules, including neutering and muzzling their dog in public.

Chief Constable Tim Smith said the force has spent £1m on policing the law, which includes seizing 329 animals - 209 of those were suspected to be an XL bully breed.

In a hotseat interview with BBC Radio Kent's Dominic King, Mr Smith said the first year of the ban had been "challenging".

He said: "It's well embedded now but there are huge costs associated with this that we need to try and get government to help us with."

The chief constable said "all" of his £1m budget had been spent on seizing the dogs, transport, vet bills and kennelling.

The force has spoken to the UK government about getting help with costs.

Mr Smith said the law has had a "huge impact" on the force's finances and said it's "not right" central government has not financially contributed.

He said conversations are "ongoing", adding: "I am optimistic we will get the money back."

In the last year Kent Police has euthanised 54 dogs and returned 31 dogs who were not XL bullies to their owners, according to a BBC investigation.

Mr Smith said, at times, they consult experts to determine a dog's breed.

He said: "Sometimes it is very obvious what the breed is, but sometimes it is not and we need help and support with that."

The chief constable said Kent Police has introduced measures to help specialist officers with the emotional toll of dog seizures.

He said: "By its nature, if you are doing it all the time, it can be quite distressing."

But, he said, the public is getting the message that it is illegal to own an XL bully.

He said: "I make no judgement about owners - I know we are a nation of animal lovers.

"But with this particular breed, that is the law and we'll keep enforcing it until we get to the point of hopefully removing the breed from society."

A government spokesperson said: "The ban on XL bullies is an important measure to protect public safety, and we expect all XL Bully owners to comply with the strict conditions.

"We continue to work with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to prevent dog attacks by encouraging responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog, addressing dog control issues before they escalate and using the full force of the law where needed."

Listen to the Dominic King show from 10:00 - 14:00, Monday to Friday, on BBC Radio Kent or on BBC Sounds.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook on X and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].