Are Boerboels legal in the uk?

“Are Boerboels legal in the uk?” is a common question we see on social media and online.

The simple answer is yes.

Boerboels have not been covered specifically by breed under the UK Dangerous Dogs legislation.

The original legislation, Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended 1997 and 2024) doe not reference or include the Boerboel by breed or type and a pure bred Boerboel would not be in scope of the the existing Dangerous Dogs Act legislation.

Could a Boerboel be included in future legislation?

Absolutely it could. The Boerboel, mastiffs and many large or Bull type breeds all face a real threat by the Dangerous Dogs legislation or a breed or type legislation.

Boerboel GB would remind owners and prospective owners of any dog that under the existing legislation, Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended 1997 and 2024), it has always been a criminal offence to own a dog that is dangerously out of control, regardless of breed.

The 2024 amendment to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended 1997) adds a further type to the existing legislation. This new ‘type’ is not dissimilar to that the of the existing ‘Pitbull type’.

It is our opinion that clearly a South African Boerboel bears no resemblance to either a XL Bully type or Pitbull type.

This update to the UK Dangerous Dogs legislation has been made to now include a further ‘type’, the XL Bully type. Obviously this has caused some concern as to how dog will be typed.

The UK government has released guidance for XL Bully owners:
XL Bully type dogs to be banned

Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs

Check if a dog is an XL Bully

From these guidelines, it is clear that the objective and target is XL Bully types. It is not understood to target other breeds.

Therefore, we would urge our owners to be calm but prepared.

Any ethical or reputable breeder, will always conduct a vetting process for prospective owners. The vetting process is to ensure that potential owners are suitable to own a large and powerful breed such as the South African Boerboel.

Responsible ownership has always been required and should be a priority for any breeder.

Boerboel GB will continue to promote responsible ownership and breeding and offer the following advice to owners:

• Always ensure that your dog is under control
• DO NOT allow your dog to become a nuisance or cause of fear to others
• DO NOT set your dog up for failure by placing them in bad situations
• If your dog has reactivity issues, address these issues with a suitable trainer
• Be aware where you exercise your dog and do not allow your dog off lead in public spaces as you cannot control public spaces
• DO NOT assume that other dog owners are responsible

Responsible ownership will avoid and prevent many avoidable problems from ever occurring.

It is your responsibility as an owner of a large and powerful dog to always be in full control of your dog, its environment and the situations to you put your dog into.

Dont fail your dog.

Are Boerboels legal in the uk?

For more Boerboel visit the Boerboel GB News page

You can contact Boerboel GB in confidence using our contact page.