A number of dog breeds are currently banned in the UK, and experts are calling for 67 more breeds to join the list
A number of dog breeds are currently banned in the UK, and a significant increase in this list could be on the horizon as experts voice many concerns. It’s illegal to own a Pit Bull Terrier, a Japanese Tosa, a Dogo Argentino, a Fila Brasileiro, or an XL Bully, and it’s also against the law to sell, abandon, give away, or breed from a banned dog in the UK.
Whether your dog is a banned type depends on its appearance, rather than its breed or name. If you have a banned dog, the police or local council dog warden can seize it and keep it, even if it isn’t behaving dangerously and no complaint has been made.
Experts are advocating for a staggering 67 more dog breeds to join the banned list, due to these breeds “suffering due to selective breeding for appearance”. The list includes pugs, chihuahuas, and Great Danes.
According to PETA UK: “Flat-faced dogs like pugs and French bulldogs often struggle to breathe – all because people think animals with squashed faces are ‘cute’. Everything that makes life worth living for dogs, like running and chasing a ball, becomes more difficult or even impossible for breathing-impaired breeds (BIBs).
“Cavalier King Charles spaniels, in addition to being a BIB, also have brains too big for their skulls. They may yelp in pain suddenly and obsessively scratch themselves.
“Dogs with very short legs and long spines, like dachshunds and Welsh corgis, also struggle to walk and play, and parts of their bodies are too small to function properly. They suffer from joint problems, arthritis, and up to a quarter of dachshunds have intervertebral disc disease, which causes severe back pain and paralysis, that can be recurring and require surgery.”
Full list of 67 dog breeds that could soon be banned
- Affenpischer
- American Cocker Spaniel
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Basset
- Basset Bleu
- Basset Fauve
- Beagle
- Beauceron
- Bergamasco
- Bloodhound
- Border Collie
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Bracco
- Brittany
- Brussels Griffon
- Bullmastiff
- Bulldog
- Cairn Terrier
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Cesky Terrier
- Chihuahua
- Chow Chow
- Clumber Spaniel
- Dachshund
- Dandie Terrier
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- French Bulldog
- Glen of Imaal Terrier
- Grand Basset
- Great Dane
- Japanese Chin
- King Charles Spaniel
- Lancashire Heeler
- Lhasa Apso
- Mastiff
- Mudi
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Newfoundland
- Norfolk Terrier
- Norwich Terrier
- Old English Sheepdog
- Pekingese
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Petit Basset
- Polish Lowland
- Pug
- Pyr Mastiff
- Pyr Shep
- Rough Collie
- Schipperke
- Scottish Terrier
- Sealyham Terrie
- Shar Pei
- Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)
- Shih Tzu
- Skye Terrier
- Smooth Collie
- Spanish Water Dog
- St Bernard
- Staffordshire Terrier
- Sussex Spaniel
- Swedish Vallhund
- Tibetan Mastiff
- West Highland White Terrier