American Bully XLs will be added to the list of banned dogs in England and Wales, making it illegal to own one without an exemption from February 1 next year.
The dogs will also have to be muzzled and on a lead in public from January.
There will be a longer deadline for owners to ensure the dogs are neutered.
It follows a number of attacks involving the breed, although owners insist the dogs are lovable pets despite their appearance.
From December 31, 2023, it will be against the law to sell, abandon, breed, give away or have an American Bully XL in public without a lead or muzzle.
If your dog is less than one year old on January 31, 2024, it must be spayed or neutered by December 31 of the following year. If your dog is more than one year old on January 31, 2024, it must be spayed or neutered by June 30.
The guidance is similar to that issued for the four breeds banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991: the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentinos and the Fila Brazileiro.
The new rules published by Defra also give details of the definition of an American Bully XL, which is not a breed recognized by the Kennel Club in the UK.
It says the dogs are a “large dog with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for its size. Powerfully built individual”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the breed would be banned after a series of incidents.
These included the death of a man after a suspected attack by an American Bully XL in Walsall on September 14. Days earlier, an 11-year-old girl and two men were attacked by an American Bully XL in Bordesley Green, Birmingham.
In 2021, 10-year-old Jack Lis died from severe neck and head injuries after being attacked by an American Bully XL in Caerphilly. His mother, Emma Whitfield, has called for the dogs to be banned.
The new guidelines do not apply to Northern Ireland or Scotland.
Both currently ban the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero.
If Scottish ministers agree, the ban will be applied in Scotland.
In Northern Ireland, a ban on the American bully XL would require a separate change in legislation, either by a sitting Assembly and Executive or through intervention by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State.
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss, has previously said that there would be no “cull” of American Bully XLs, but rather guidance to allow owners to keep them under certain conditions.
To do this, owners will have to apply to have their pets listed on the Index of Exempted Dogs.
There is an application fee of £92.40 to cover administration costs.
The current exemption scheme for banned breeds allows for an exemption if a court is satisfied that the dogs pose no danger to the public and their owners are deemed fit and proper people to own such a dog.
There are nearly 3,500 banned dogs living legally at home with their owners in England, Scotland and Wales under the scheme, according to data released by the government to the BBC.
Before a dog can be exempted, it must be neutered, microchipped and have liability insurance. There are also strict conditions, including being kept on a lead and muzzled in public.
The Dangerous Dogs Act gives the government the power to ban any breed that “appears to have been bred for fighting or to have the characteristics of a type bred for that purpose”.
Police have the power to seize any banned dog found in a public place.
Many animal welfare groups have opposed the ban.
The Dog Control Coalition – which includes Battersea, Blue Cross, the Dogs Trust, BVA, the Scottish SPCA, the Kennel Club and Hope Rescue – told the BBC that breed-specific bans have been shown to be ineffective.
The problem, they say, lies with owners.
“The government needs to tackle the root of the problem by dealing with the unscrupulous breeders who put profit before welfare and the irresponsible owners whose dogs are dangerously out of control,” it says.
