In October 2023, DEFRA and the Chief Veterinary Officer advised owners unsure of their dog’s breed type to “take a precautionary approach” & obtain a certificate of exemption “to be safe.” As ordinary owners are not trained breed assessors, thousands complied in good faith to avoid criminalisation.

Many of these dogs may not meet the legal “type”, yet two years later there is still no pathway or reassessment to allow de-exemption. As a result, we believe dogs' welfare is unfairly compromised by lifelong restrictions imposed solely because their owners followed Government advice. The Secretary of State and DEFRA must now prioritise establishing a clear and fair de-exemption process.