Born Innocent

22/11/2025

We are approaching the sad official anniversary of the two year ban on XL bullies.
The amazing has done this post which we share, helping highlight yet another failure in our animal legislation, which has led to over 2,400 dogs being destroyed for a £200 one off payment.

Sadly, after dogs were euthanised, we were approached by families with crushed hearts who were not aware they had a choice or even ones that were told they would not be allowed to exempt their dogs.

We helped a beautiful XL Bully whose human, a hard working Chef, had made a mistake in early life and been in prison for a few months for GBH, but turned his life around and for many years has been leading a great family focused life.

He has a young niece he adores and babysits regularly; as he works evenings and can support his sister.
His XL is the centre of their regular play dates.

Yet, he was told his distant past meant his dog would be destroyed.

Luckily one of our team members had met them on a train and he followed our page. With our support he was able to get the exemption and for the last couple of years continue to lead a simple, joyous life together.

You can help owners and dogs like this by educating on bite prevention; supporting activities and spreading the word there is support available for anyone whose dog is seized.

Each life lost is one too many.

Because dogs are not born to bite.







https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17HQTia5HF/?mibextid=wwXIfr

15/11/2025

Tom Parker Bowles is quoted on The Times newspaper, describing how his dog, Maud, was attacked by an out of control dog, whose breed has not been formally identified but is suspected to be similar to a .

It is positive to see Tom, a responsible dog owner, stating how he believes emphasis should be placed on humans first, with dogs who need extra attention wearing a muzzle.

Likewise, and unlike a very poor quote stereotyping cane corsos in the article, we advocate for education and focus on handlers and owners; alongside severe restrictions and enforcement on irresponsible and over breeding.

All peer reviewed research by academically and empirically trained behaviour scientists show that breed is not a determinant of aggression. Rather, it’s the result of a complex mix of inputs which can be significantly prevented and, indeed, improved by the right combination of environmental factors.

Typecasting dogs leads nowhere and causes not only unnecessary fear, but can encourage over breeding when irresponsible people seek to make money with a potential “status dog”.

Any dog can bite and cause serious injury, independent of size or breed. The issue with larger dogs is not with their size per se, but how they are bred, handled, socialised, trained and cared for.

As with humans, larger size can potentially lead to greater injury in conflict.
But size is not a determinant of agression in any species. Not canine, not human.

Placing the emphasis on specific breeds prolongs the suffering of dogs and owners caused by the highly unjust and unscientific Dangerous Dogs Act in the UK. (and abroad)

If you wish to be a voice of change, help educate on good ownership and bite prevention.

Choose words that do not encourage fear. Encourage responsibility and respect for other dogs and humans.

And to show what good house pets cane corsos can be, we also share a post from an owner whose dog woke her up while her child struggled to breathe and a Tik Tok video of the fast action of another saving a baby from an electric shock with enormous care.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdEQhVqk/

Because dogs were not born to bite.




Article from The Times Newspaper; all rights reserved.

Social media posts shared are open posts.

25/05/2024

Our friends at Loving Homes Dog Rescue SCIO - UK and Orkney. Charity No: Sc047453 have taken many unwanted large dogs over the many years we have known them.
🫶They are amazing and need our help!

🙏Please nominate them for FREE for a £1000 donation from the Benevolent Fund.

👇Click the link below
⌨️Type “LOVING HIOMES” in the search.
✔️ Fill details and done!

Share, if you can.
Thank you! 🫶🏽

https://www.facebook.com/share/2vXquVy3BM2jTzBw/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Nominate a charity for a Movement for Good award now.

23/05/2024

It is not a surprise to see the “i” reporting today that the XL Bully ban is in crisis after under 3 months’ implementation.

With a general election under way, we look forward to the return of Parliament later this year with a government we can engage on understanding canine care and modern society’s needs at its fullest. No more quick solutions. We need a comprehensive plan to address the failure of the last administrations.

Ask your local candidate what their plans and beliefs are and push the full reform of the .

21/05/2024

We are terribly sorry to hear of the distressing news of a woman in her 50s being mauled to death by her own dogs yesterday, 20.05.24.

The dogs were registered as XL bullies and duly exempted.

Although there are no indications of the circumstances, we have been contacted by owners who are
1. Struggling to train their dogs to wear a muzzle on walks, especially as the days get hotter
2. Being persecuted by members of the public when legally walking their dogs on a leash and with a muzzle.

This, we have been told, is leading to a reduction in the amount of exercise dogs are getting.

We are, under no circumstances, suggesting this is the case here.

However, we urge owners with exempted dogs or, indeed, any dog, to get help in teaching them to wear a muzzle. There are lots of great examples on how to do this on the internet if you cannot afford a trainer.
Check out The Muzzle Up Project for great information here: https://muzzleupproject.com

It is also key that dogs take regular exercise suited to their breed, age and fitness / health conditions. If you are unsure, your vet can advise you.

If your dog is not getting the stimulus they used to for whatever reason, a good run around in a safe, exclusive enclosed field on a weekly basis will help.
Both private and public fields can be found here: https://dogwalkingfields.co.uk

If you are struggling, certified behaviourists and dog trainers offer all sorts of services, including online at entry-level prices. Some dog walkers are also experienced with large breeds and might offer single dog walking. Call around local Kennels if you don’t know where to start as they often have contacts.

Finally, if the horrible event of a dog fight happens, the safest thing to do if you are alone is to get help.

We advise owners to research the subject and learn to protect their dogs and themselves.

Owning a dog of any breed leaves us open to unforeseen possibilities, but tragedies such as what happened in East London touches us all.
Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased lady.

For anyone needing private information, please, feel free to DM us.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/20/woman-killed-by-her-two-xl-bully-dogs-at-home-in-east-london

Victim, who was in her 50s, pronounced dead at scene in Hornchurch and the animals seized

23/04/2024

If anyone can help, please contact TAG rescue. Thank you.

27/01/2024

Some of the questions we have had, which might help owners:

1. My dog is under the height of 20in for a male or 19in for female at the withers. Do I need to exempt it as an XL Bully? No

2. My bitch’s parents are Pedigree Rottweilers but she’s a puppy. Could she be an XL Bully type? No.

3. My dog / bitch is not spayed / neutered. OR it has been done but I cannot find the details. Can I still apply for the exemption if I think my dog fits the requirements?
YES!
Dogs under 12 months on 30.01.24 have until 31.12.24 to be spayed / neutered and those over that age until 30.06.24.

4. Can I apply under my name and then transfer it to my mum/ partner / friend, etc.?
NO.
An exempted dog cannot be gifted, sold, bred from nor transferred. Only under very exceptional circumstances such as terminal illness or death.

5. Can someone else take care of my dog? Yes.
Read your exemption certificate and accompanying details with care, but for a limited amount of time, your dog can be cared by someone over 16 - although some insurances may state over 18. Check with care.

6. My dog is exempted as a Pit bull type. Do I need to apply? No!
But you do need to remember to renew your insurance and certificate of exemption before it runs out!

7. I do not identify my dog as an XL Bully type because of …. (whatever) reasons.
Could my dog be seized at a later date?
It’s impossible to tell!
Our advice is, if your dog meets the height but you feel it does not meet the characteristics, only you can decide to exempt it or not.
Take photos with measurements and write down the reasons why you did not feel it met the criteria. Keep it safe.
Teach your dog to wear a muzzle and focus on their training. Never walk them without a leash unless in a private, fully secure field.

27/01/2024

We have received lots of messages from worried owners regarding the XL BULLY ban.
⚠️We remind you that if you wish to apply for exemption for your dog, you MUST do so by MIDDAY on 31.01.24⚠️

The advice from the government is if your dog meets the minimum height of 20 in (51cm) for males and 19in (48cm) for females at the withers and a substantial number of the characteristics for THEIR definition of an XL Bully type and you are unsure, to get your dog exempted as a precaution.

To help with measuring, we are sharing these pictures from My Family Vets.
You can find more measurement guidance, including videos, on trustworthy sites such as Blue Cross UK or Battersea

We fully disagree with Breed Specific Legislation but feel it’s important to remind owners this is one of the few instances under British legislation where you are presumed guilty upfront - and from FEB 1st 2024 it is a crime to own a non-exempt XL Bully type dog.

Further, at this stage you can exempt your dog without any further concerns, such as potential legal costs, your dog being seized, etc.

To exempt your dog:

1. Get 3rd party liability insurance. The quickest and easiest way is via the Companion Club Membership from Dogs Trust
At this stage you CANNOT pay through Direct Debit, as you need the 1st day of your insurance for exemption application; you will receive it via email once your payment has cleared.
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/support-us/companion-club

2. You need your dog’s chip number, which you should find on vaccination cards or e-mails.
If you don’t know it, call your vets. If they don’t have it, make an emergency appointment to get it scanned. It’s quick and painless and most vets do not charge for this fee; check with your vet first.

3. Go online at the official site:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-certificate-of-exemption-to-keep-an-xl-bully-dog

4. Pay the application fee of £92.40 per dog.
You will be emailed a payment confirmation with a 10-digit payment reference number. You also need this number for the application.

⚠️ PAYING THE FEE DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE APPLIED. You MUST apply for the certificate of exemption and get an e-Mail advice of your application.

Your dog does NOT need to be neutered for the application.
A dog over 12 months at application can be neutered by 31.06.24 and a dog under 12 months by by 31.12.24

31/12/2023

‼️🚨RESCUES - 🚨 IMPORTANT‼️
⚠️XL BULLY INJUNCTION ⚠️

25/12/2023

‼️XL BULLIES ‼️
On December 21st, the amazing Professor John Cooper QC, representing a number of organisations, was able to secure a judiciary review on the addition of XL Bullies to the Dangerous Dogs Act. Sadly, it was not a Xmas miracle as the dates for the ban still stand.

From 31st December 2023 it becomes illegal to sell, abandon, give away, breed or have an XL Bully dog in public without a muzzle and being on a leash.

This technically means all rescue dogs should be destroyed. Our hope for a Xmas miracle is that rescues and vets will rebel and refuse to carry out this massive massacre.
Why should the government demand they enforce it when the legislation is still due a judicial review? This is beyond cruel and criminal from Rishi Sunak and DEFRA to demand they follow it and then we could potentially find out the amendment was created and passed with legislative failures.

If you are able to keep an exempted dog, which is a lifetime commitment, you can still contact local rescues and ask to help save a life.
To make your voice heard by Politicians you can write to your MP; to Stephen Barkley (Secretary for DEFRA) and Rishi Sunak using this link:

https://www.writetothem.com