UK bans unsupervised children under 12 with dangerous dogs

The UK government has announced new safety regulations prohibiting children under 12 from being left unsupervised with banned breed dogs, including XL Bully types, in domestic and private settings. The measure, announced in Parliament on June 9, will become a mandatory condition of the Certificate of Exemption starting November 1, 2026.

Animal Welfare Minister Baroness Hayman stated that any attack on a child by a dangerous dog is unacceptable and that the safety of children must always come first. The new rule aims to minimize the risk of serious injury to children in home environments while still allowing exempted dogs to remain with families where appropriate adult supervision is present. Officials said the policy is intended to prevent avoidable tragedies.

Failure to comply with this new stipulation may lead to enforcement action under the existing Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, including the seizure of the dog and potential prosecution. All other legal requirements for exempted dogs, such as being muzzled and kept on a lead in public places, remain unchanged. Owners remain fully responsible for any harm caused by their dogs.

The announcement also included a change to insurance...