England Footballer Faces Court Over Unregistered XL Bully Dog

Morgan Gibbs-White, an England and Nottingham Forest footballer, is facing a civil court hearing concerning his failure to register his XL Bully dog, Harlo, by the February 2024 deadline as required by new regulations banning the breed. The XL Bully was banned in December 2023 following a series of deadly attacks, and owners must register their dogs with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, obtain exemption certificates, and comply with strict control measures. Although owning an unregistered XL Bully is a criminal offense, Gibbs-White's case is being treated as a civil matter, and since Harlo has not been involved in any attacks, the dog may avoid destruction despite police seeking a destruction order. The hearing, initially scheduled for early September, has been postponed to October and will be held at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, where the court may allow the dog to be kept under strict conditions. Gibbs-White's ownership of Harlo is speculated to be for security reasons, a measure some Premier League players have taken due to threats of home invasions. The situation reflects broader concerns about XL Bully dogs in the UK, where thousands have been seized and euthanised due to non-compliance with the law.