Campaign to overturn XL Bully ban raises over £142,000

A campaign to overturn the American XL Bully ban has raised £142,810 to support its legal action against the decision.

The ‘Don’t Ban Me – Licence Me’ campaign, supported by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC),  has already submitted a Pre-Action Protocol to the government, specifically to EFRA, DEFRA and the then Minister Thérèse Coffey, via the barrister John Cooper KC.

The government have been asked to respond within 14 days, during which review the ban, the impact it will have on people and dogs and make changes or consider an alternative.

If the group does not receive a response, or receives a negative response, it has said it would be looking to take the matter to the court, through a judicial review.

For the judicial review to happen, the group has estimated it needed £150,000 – and has already raised £142,810 at the time of writing.

According to its website, the group aims to end the Breed Specific Legislation, through which the American XL Bully ban is being enforced.

Instead, it advocates “responsible dog ownership”, meaning “licensing all dogs, regardless of breed, and providing education to owners on how to properly care for and train their pets”.

The group said: “Our dogs are bred to be loving companions, the XL Bully has been wrongfully blamed for many recent attacks by the media and government.

“Many other dogs will be targeted under this new proposed ban, everything from mastiffs to Rottweilers and Staffy crosses. Innocent dogs who have shown no aggression and pose no danger to anyone, all because of their appearance.

“We as bully owners of the UK demand change, demand fair and effective laws that keep people and dogs safe, demand that no dog be damned because of how they look.”