What is Breed Specific Legislation
Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) literally means laws which only apply to a section of the canine population.

These laws usually place restrictions on breeds or types. Restrictions may take many forms, though typically include mandatory muzzling and on-lead only exercise in a public places, enforced registration on indexes, breed-specific bans and substantial licensing fees. Across Europe, the breeds targeted vary greatly, currently encompassing much of the canine spectrum from Corgis to GSDs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers to Border Collies.

In the mainland Great Britain, four breeds are currently subject to BSL under the Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA):

The Japanese Tosa
The Pit Bull Terrier
The Dogo Argentino
Fila Braziliero
We must, however, also be aware that 'types' of these dogs are also affected. This means that your dog doesn't have to be a Pit Bull or Tosa to be subject to the DDA: it simply has display physical and behavioural characteristics similar to those displayed in breeds covered by the act.


The addition of the word 'type' complicates classification, because the guidelines are based predominantly on appearance and are open to misinterpretation, whether deliberate or accidental. According to these guidelines, a labrador could be described as 90% pit bull due to the broadly described physical categories - and no guidelines are offered to help officials decide whether behaviour is synonymous with a breed or type. These guidelines - and the room they leave for interpretation - is a real cause for concern in the climate of fear and paranoia, as under British law it is an offence to own, keep, gift, breed from or sell any of the dogs mentioned above.
However, the 1991 Act was amended by the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act of 1997. This amendment has been widely welcomed, as it acknowledges the fact that not all dogs who are deemed to be of a 'type' mentioned in the Act pose a threat to the public, and as such need not always be put to sleep. We cannot over-emphisise the importance of this amendment: it states that no dog need be destroyed if the court is satisfied that it constitutes no danger to public safety. Instead, once the court is satisfied of their suitable temperament and their owner's commitment to responsible care, dogs may be registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs, microchipped, neutered and returned to their owner's care.


You can't register a banned breed on the index of exempted dogs as it is closed,it can only be done through the courts.

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