Islanders who own XL Bully dogs and other breeds classed as “dangerous” by the States Vet will be required to register their pet and comply with restrictions under new legislation put forward this week.

Muzzling of such dogs in public, as well as bans on breeding and selling the animals, are among the measures put forward by the Constables’ Committee.

The States Assembly is to debate the proposals from parish Constables, who have responsibility for dog licensing, to amend the Dogs (Jersey) Act to introduce controls on breeds considered to be dangerous – including the XL Bully, which was made illegal in the UK in 2023.

If it is backed by politicians, the proposed registration scheme will require the States vet to maintain a register of dangerous dogs, with the measures applicable to breeds deemed to fit the characteristics and measurements of an XL Bully.

This would include the American Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, Cane Corso, and Presa Canario.

Dogs with characteristics of types bred for fighting would be monitored on a case-by-case basis, the committee has stated.

Owners would commit an offence if they failed to register their dangerous dogs, as well as being required to comply with certain conditions, including:

  • Ensuring the registered address at which the dog is secure, to prevent escapes.
  • Not breeding the dog, which must also be neutered.
  • A ban on abandoning, giving away, selling or transferring the dog.
  • Ensuring the dog is muzzled in public, and kept on a lead under the control of a person aged 18 or above.
  • Taking out third-party public liability insurance.

Jersey’s law was last amended in February 2024, with the introduction of requirements that owners wishing to travel out of Jersey with their XL Bully dog must apply for an export licence, as well as seeking written confirmation that their dog can enter all the countries they are travelling to or through.

In the UK, the Dangerous Dog Act was introduced in 1991 and amended in December 2023 to extend its scope to the XL Bully, with a valid exemption required in England and Wales to own an XL Bully in England and Wales.

In response to a request made under the Freedom of Information Law earlier this year, the Constables’ Committee stated that fewer than five licences for “American XL Bully type dogs” were issued in Jersey across 2024 and the first two months of 2025.

The proposition is due to be debated in the States Assembly in late September or October.