MORE than 30 XL Bullies have been registered in the Keighley area after a law was brought in earlier this year which banned ownership of the dogs without an exemption certificate.

The breed, an offshoot of the American pit bull terrier, has come under fire in recent years after a number of attacks.

The Government announced last October that the breed was to be added to the dangerous dogs list, and it has been illegal to own an XL Bully since February this year – unless you have a valid certificate of exemption.

There are currently 50,000 XL Bullies registered in England and Wales.

And a Freedom of Information request submitted to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has revealed where in the country the dogs are.

A total of 358 have been registered in Bradford-district postcode areas.

The largest concentration is in BD6, which covers Buttershaw and Wibsey, with 39 of the breed in that area having secured exemption. The figure ranks the postcode area 488th nationally for XL Bully registrations.

Next highest in the district is BD4, which includes the areas of Bierley, Bowling, Laisterdyke, Tong and Tyersal.

Third is the BD21 area, covering Keighley, where there are 32 XL Bullies. It is 643rd in the country.

There are 30 in BD10 and BD13 (685th in the country), 27 in BD22 (777th), 22 in BD2 (951st), 21 in BD12 (987th), 20 in BD5 (1,019th), 19 in BD7 (1,057th), 16 in BD18 and BD20 (1,172nd), 15 in BD9 (1,214th), 14 in BD19 (1,258th), 12 in BD8 (1,363rd) and 10 in BD23 (1,478th).

There is no data for those areas with fewer than 10 approved applications.

This includes BD1, BD3, BD11, BD14, BD15, BD16, BD17 and BD23.

Even if an owner has a certificate of exemption, the XL Bully must be microchipped, kept on a lead and muzzled at all times in public places, and kept in secure conditions that will stop it from escaping.

Also, it is a criminal offence to sell, abandon or let stray, give away, and breed or breed from, an XL Bully.

Nationally, the postcode area with the most registrations is Croydon, with 219.

It's followed by the S5 postcode, just north of Sheffield, with 189, and then a southern area of Warrington, with a total of 182.

For more about the certificate of exemption scheme and how to apply, go to gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-certificate-of-exemption-to-keep-an-xl-bully-dog