XL Bully Dog – Exemption Certificate

From October 1st 2024, new regulations prohibit the importing, breeding, selling and re-homing of XL Bully type dogs.

A Certificate of Exemption is a Certificate granted by a Local Authority in accordance with Section 7 of the Control of Dogs (XL Bully) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 491 of 2024), and can only be issued to a person over the age of 16 years.

From February 1st 2025, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully type dog without a ‘Certificate of Exemption’ issued by the local authority in which the dog resides.  This Certificate of Exemption authorises the owner of an XL Bully type dog to keep that dog at a particular premises until the natural end of the dog’s life.

Owners may be required to present their Certificate of Exemption to a Dog Warden within 10 days of a request to do so.

Application forms will only be accepted between 1st October 2024 and 31st January 2025.

One application form for each dog. 

No fee will be charged for a Certificate of Exemption.

Additional information is available on the links above.

Completed application forms can be sent by post or email to one of the following:-

Email:    environment@carlowcoco.ie

Postal:  Carlow County Council, Environment Section, Assembly Rooms, Cox’s Lane, Carlow R93 X3T5

PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE APPLICATION FORM IS COMPLETED IN FULL ENCLOSING ALL RELEVANT VALID DOCUMENTATION