Government to ‘strengthen’ public protection against banned dog breeds

A new government measure to better protect children from dangerous dogs in the home was introduced to Parliament today (9 June) to strengthen safeguards around banned breeds. 

From 1 November 2026, owners must not leave a child under the age of 12 in close proximity to a banned breed dog in a domestic setting or other private settings place without adult supervision. This will be a condition of the Certificate of Exemption, which allows owners to legally keep a banned breed.

The new safeguard will reduce the risk of serious injury to children in domestic environments, while allowing exempted dogs to remain with families where appropriate supervision is in place. 

As with other conditions of exemption, failure to comply with this requirement may result in enforcement action. This can include seizure of the dog and potential prosecution, in line with existing powers under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. 

Animal Welfare Minister, Baroness Hayman, said: “Any attack on a child by a dangerous dog is unacceptable.

“The safety of children must always come first, and this new measure will strengthen protections in the home by ensuring young children are not left unattended around banned breed dogs, including XL Bully types.” 

Further guidance will be published ahead of implementation on 1 November. 

In response, RSPCA dog welfare expert and lead on dog control Dr Samantha Gaines, said: “Children are more likely to get bitten than adults – so we agree with the basis of this requirement, which can also kickstart a public debate around how we keep young children safe around all dogs. However, we’re really disappointed that restricting this requirement solely to Section 1 dogs further compounds the idea that some dogs are dangerous and others aren’t purely because of how they look.

“Any dog – whether a banned type or not – has the potential to bite and we want to remind all dog owners that they should never leave dogs and children unsupervised.”

Also being introduced are changes to the insurance requirements for owners of exempted banned dog breeds. The requirement for third-party public liability insurance will be removed from 1 July. This reflects the withdrawal of the only available provider and the absence of any suitable alternative products in the market. 

All other legal requirements remain in place, including requirements for exempted dogs to be muzzled and kept on a lead in public places. Owners remain fully responsible for any harm caused by their dogs.