Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using DNA testing in the scientific classification of XL Bully dogs.

Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, the assessment of whether an individual dog is prohibited is strictly based on ‘breed type’ and its physical characteristics.

Defra has produced guidance on the physical characteristics of the XL Bully breed type to support Dog Legislation Officers and dog owners to determine whether a dog may be prohibited.