The rules have changed if you own an XL Bully dog in Scotland
XL Bully dogs and the law
On 1st August 2024 it became illegal to own an XL bully type dog in Scotland without an exemption certificate or having applied for an exemption certificate to own that dog.
It is also an offence to:
- have an XL Bully in public without a lead and muzzle
- abandon an XL Bully or let it stray
- breed or breed from an XL Bully
- sell, give away or rehome an XL Bully
The deadline to apply for an exemption has now passed. Any new exemptions can only be granted by a court order.
If you missed the deadline, you need to contact your local police force for advice.
Once you have a Certificate of Exemption for your XL Bully, you must follow these rules for the life of the dog:
- Keep the dog at the same address as the certificate holder, you can temporarily keep the dog at a different address for up to 30 days in a 12-month period.
- Tell the Local Authority, Police, and the Association if you permanently change address.
- Advise the Local Authority, Police, and the Association if the dog dies or is exported.
- You must have third party public liability insurance for your dog, you can change insurance, but there can be no gap in cover.
- Keep the dog muzzled in public places.
- Keep the dog on a lead in public places and someone over 16 years old must securely hold the lead.
- Keep the dog in secure conditions both in the house and garden so it cannot escape.
If you break these rules, you may be fined up to £5,000, sent to prison for up to 6 months, or both.
Caledonia Group Policy: XL Bully type dogs
After carefully reviewing our pet procedure, we have decided that tenants who currently already have XL bully type dogs will still have permission to keep them, however, this means that all legal guidance must be followed, including:
- having an exemption certificate and providing us with a copy
- ensuring that your dog is always muzzled and on a lead in public, including in a car.
- New pet requests for XL bully type dogs for our new tenants will only be approved if an exemption certificate is in place or been applied for (we will ask for proof)
We would ask our tenants with XL bully type dogs to please contact our Customer Service Team at info@caledoniaha.co.uk as soon as possible, emailing a copy of their exemption certificate.
If you do not yet have a copy of this then please provide us confirmation that you have applied for it.
If you do not adhere to these guidelines, you are in breach of your tenancy agreement.
What you need to do to apply for permission to keep a pet
To apply for permission to keep a pet please use our Connect app or click here
If the animal is an XL Bully type dog, you must email a copy of the exemption certificate to info@caledoniaha.co.uk.
Staff Safety
When visiting a customer’s home, Caledonia Group staff are required to assess any risks present. In the case of an animal posing a potential risk to a member of staff, we will refuse to enter the home. In this event, our staff will rearrange a suitable appointment with you.
In the case of an animal becoming a risk to our staff during a visit, they will leave your home immediately and reschedule the visit.
Our customers with XL bully type dogs in their homes will be asked to muzzle their dog and secure them whilst our staff are present.
Please don’t assume that just because your dog is friendly our staff or visiting contractors will want to interact with them. Many people can feel anxious around certain pets, or have allergies, which mean that contact should be avoided. If a staff member politely requests that you keep your dog in a separate room (or crate), we would ask you to respect their wishes.
Further Information
Scottish Government XL Bully guidance:
What to do if you find a stray, abandoned or out of control dog of any breed:
