The United Kingdom is a fantastic place for pets; they are welcome in most public spaces, and there are plenty of dog parks and open areas to exercise your pet dog. However, there are restrictions on certain breeds of dogs entering the country.

The United Kingdom has restrictions on aggressive and dangerous breeds of dogs to protect the public from dog attacks. Your pet can move with you to the UK only if he or she is not on the prohibited breed list.

Prohibited dog breeds

The dog breeds that are illegal in the UK are fighting breeds such as:

• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• Pit Bull Terrier
• Japanese Tosa

The ban applies to dogs that are crossbreeds of these breeds. The prohibition is also applicable to dogs that are similar in appearance to the banned breeds. In other words, even if your dog is not a Pit Bull Terrier, he or she will be denied entry if they display the physical characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier.

The Dangerous Dogs Act in the country makes it illegal to own, breed, abandon, give away or sell these dog breeds. The ban also extends to dogs that are spending time in transit in the country on the way to a different country.

The United Kingdom has an exemption list for banned breeds for non-aggressive dogs. However, only dogs that already residing in the country will be considered for exemption, and you cannot apply for exemption when you are importing your dog into the country. Banned breed dogs that are already on the exemption list and are returning to the UK are allowed to enter the country, provided all the import regulations are met satisfactorily.

Travelling to the United Kingdom?

Bringing your pet dog or cat to the United Kingdom can be a complicated process that involves fulfilling all pet import criteria. The rules are not always clear and are liable to change any time. If you are planning to move to the UK with your pet dog or cat, contact Petraveller for a detailed pet relocation plan.