New law requires constant supervision of banned dog breeds with children

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 1 Nov, 14:11 · Archive

From 1 November 2026, owners of five banned dog breeds cannot leave children under 12 unsupervised with their dogs in private settings.

A new law taking effect today introduces stricter safeguards for children around banned dog breeds in the UK. From 1 November 2026, owners of the five banned breeds — the XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro — cannot leave children under 12 in close proximity to their dogs in domestic or other private settings without adult supervision. These dogs are prohibited from being owned, sold, given away or bred from, though owners can obtain a certificate of exemption to keep them legally.

Thousands of dog owners across the UK are affected by the change. More than 57,000 XL Bullies alone were registered with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by the end of 2024. The supervision requirement will be a condition of the Certificate of Exemption.

Failure to comply can result in enforcement action. Owners may face dog seizure and prosecution, with penalties of up to six months in prison or a fine of up to £5,000. The government says the 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.

How it is being reported

• New safety measures introduced to protect children around banned dog breedsChildren will be better protected from dangerous dogs in the home under a new government measure introduced today to strengthen safeguards around banned breeds, including XL Bully types. The change in the law will affect thousands of dog owners across the UK and means that 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…GB News · 1 Nov, 13:25
• New law for 5 dog breeds takes effect today — owners warned 'don't leave the room'The new law affecting five dog breeds and around 60,000 dogs is now in place and could lead to a criminal recordThe Mirror · 1 Nov, 08:12

In this story: UK · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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