XL Bullies

Certificate of Exemption

The following documentation must be included in order for a Certificate of Exemption to be issued:

1. A completed Certificate of Exemption Application Form – available here.
2. Copy of valid dog licence
3. Copy of microchipping certificate for the dog
4. Veterinary Confirmation of Neutering Status Form (This form must be countersigned by a vet) – available here
5. Photographic proof of identity of the dog owner (copy of passport, drivers’ licence, public services card etc.)
6. Proof of Address of the dog owner (copy of utility bill or bank statement within previous 3 months etc.)

The Animal Control Section will process the application and either send you:

• A Certificate of Exemption,
• A Letter of Refusal, or
• A request for further information should the application be missing any relevant information.

If an application for a Certificate of Exemption is refused for any reason, you will be notified in writing. You may re-apply, addressing the reasons for refusal.

If further applications are refused, and a certificate of exemption is not in place before the 1st February 2025, you will be required to surrender your dog to the Dog Warden.

The seizure and detention of any dogs may involve both the Dog Warden and An Garda Síochána.

Microchipping

It is a legal requirement in Ireland to have all dogs implanted with a microchip and registered on an approved database by the time they are 12 weeks old.

To be fully compliant with this legislation you are required to:

1. Have your dog microchipped and the details registered in a microchip database listed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The current listed databases are operated by:
   1. Animark - https://animark.ie/
   2. Fido - https://www.fido.ie/
   3. Irish Kennel Club - https://www.ikc.ie/breeding/microchipping/
   4. Microdog ID Ltd (Irish Coursing Club) - https://microdogid.ie/DogIdentificationEnquiry/
2. Be in possession of a valid Microchipping Certificate.

For more information on micro-chipping and registration of your dog, please consult the government webpage on a dog owner's legal responsibilities:

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/905aa-my-legal-responsibilities-as-a-dog-owner/

If you're unsure if your dog is microchipped, ask your vet to scan your dog for a Microchip.

Neutering

Owners must arrange to have their XL Bully type dog neutered by a registered Veterinary Practitioner in order to receive a Certificate of Exemption. Neutering of the XL Bully type dog must be carried out through castration for a male or spaying for a female.

Once the dog has been neutered, owners must complete a Veterinary Confirmation of Neutering Status Form. This form must be countersigned by a vet.

A Certificate of Exemption will not be granted until the Veterinary Confirmation of Neutering Status Form has been received.

Owners will be able to submit a Veterinary Confirmation of Neutering Status Form where their dog is determined by a vet to be medically unfit for neutering.

What is an XL Bully?

The XL Bully type dog is a variant of the wider American Bully breed type. The XL Bully type dog is typically larger (both in terms of height and body shape) and more muscular than other American Bully breed types such as the ‘Micro’, ‘Pocket’, ‘Standard’ and ‘Classic’. The full description of the dog type is available here.

It is the owner’s responsibility to determine if their dog is covered by the ban. If owners think their dog could be an XL Bully type dog, they should comply with all new requirements.

Penalties for breaching the regulations

Any owner found to be in breach of the regulations will have committed an offence under the Control of Dogs Act 1986.

The dog may be seized and euthanized in a humane manner and the owner will be subject to a fine of up to €2,500, or imprisonment of a term of up to 3 months, or both.

Further information

FAQs have been developed by the Department of Rural and Community Development and are available from the following link here

The Dept has also created a website on responsible dog ownership here