Overview
- A Statutory Instrument laid on June 9 adds a rule to Certificates of Exemption that makes it illegal to leave a child under 12 alone with a dog that matches the physical profile of a banned type.
- The new supervision requirement becomes law on November 1, 2026, and breaching exemption conditions can lead to seizure of the dog, prosecution or other enforcement under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
- The compulsory third‑party public liability insurance condition for exempted dogs will be removed from July 1, 2026, after the government said the only available provider withdrew from the market.
- The RSPCA and other welfare experts back the focus on child supervision but warn that limiting the rule to section 1 banned types risks implying only those dogs can bite and they call for wider owner education and oversight.
- Officials point to rising police‑recorded dog‑injury incidents since the pandemic — reported at about 28,000 in 2024 and at least 29,400 in 2025 — as part of the context driving the regulatory changes.