need help re: BSL

[momnipotent]

Hello,
I wonder if someone can advise:

Situation: We are expats living in Canada, we would like to return to the UK. We have three dogs, a Newf cross, Bouvier cross, and a mutt. The mutt came to us last year when someone called the humane society where I volunteer to surrender him, we were told he was a 12 year old mastiff cross. I took him in because the shelter is no place for a 12 year old dog!

And therein lies the problem.

He might well be a mastiff cross but he has enough of a look of pit bull about him to concern me. We have BSL here also, but he would be legal here because he is older than the ban.

I know the UK has BSL also. Is there any hope of me being able to bring him to the UK? I am in the process of getting him DNA tested for my own peace of mind, but I know that it won't mean anything and he will be judged on looks only.

Is there a list somewhere of the characteristics used to determine pit bull-ness? Or could I somehow have him evaluated here and then certified if he passes, so I know ahead of time that he will be allowed entry?

If there is any chance that he could be seized at the border I won't risk it. We would really like to move home though. :(

Thank you for any suggestions at all.

Page 14 gives the guidance for determining type.

There is really nothing you can do to prevent him from being deemed as of 'type'. What his actual parentage is makes no difference, nor does anything or anyone stating that he isn't of type at any point...if someone with the power to decide he is a pitbull type dog, then as far as the law is concerned he is.

The assessment of whether a dog is a Pit Bull Type is usually based on the American Dog Breeders Association Basis of Conformation for the American Pit Bull Terrier. In practice different dog legislation officers and experts can come to wildly different conclusions based on application of this one standard. I know of a staffie X shar pei recently pts as type. God only knows how they decided that.

You would not be able to import a banned breed into the UK but I have no idea on the procedure for ensuring this doesn't happen. I would imagine it is unlikely you will be able to have him assessed outside of the jurisdiction prior to entry but a good place to start would be to contact Trevor Cooper. He is a solicitor specialising in dog law. Just google doglaw for his details.

DDA Watch and Deed Not Breed both help owners of seized dogs in the UK but I don't know if their volunteers have knowledge to advise on an import situation.

Contact both DDA Watch and Trevor Cooper at Dog Law.

They should be able to advise you whether or not it's advisable to try and bring your dog in to the UK.

Thank you very much, I will follow up with those people.