Claim compensation for an XL Bully dog
Use these forms to make a compensation claim for having an XL Bully dog euthanised.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
If you choose not to keep your XL Bully dog, you should take it to a registered vet for it to be euthanised by 31 January 2024.
Owners of XL Bully dogs and owners holding a licence to breed or sell pets should use the VCE01 form to claim £200 compensation.
Rescue and re-homing organisations should use the VCE02 form to claim £100 compensation.
To claim compensation you must:
- read the official definition of an XL Bully dog to identify if your dog is an XL Bully
- register with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA)
- fill in and return either the VCE01 or VCE02 form
- provide a receipt or invoice as evidence of payment with your claim
Registering with RPA to receive your compensation
To receive your compensation payment, you must register on the Rural Payments System to get a single business identifier (SBI) number. To find out how, read Registering with the Rural Payments Agency to claim compensation for the euthanasia of XL Bully dogs.
RPA is working on behalf of Defra to process the compensation payment.
How to use the form
Print the form and take it to an RCVS-registered vet when you take the dog to be euthanised. You must fill in a separate form for each dog you apply for compensation for. Dog owners must fill in section 2.
Owners will need to include:
- their full name
- an email address
- an address
- a contact phone number
- a signature and date to confirm they’re the owner of the dog and that they’ve read the official definition of an XL Bully dog
- their Rural Payments Agency SBI number
Owners holding a licence to sell pets must enter:
- a licence number
- the name of the local authority who issued the licence
Vets must:
- fill in sections 1 and 3 - this includes providing the microchip number, colour, weight and sex of the XL Bully dog
- confirm they have euthanised the dog at its owner’s request
- include the vet’s name, RCVS number, signature, the practice address and the practice stamp if available
- include the date of euthanasia
Where to send the form
Once you and your vet have filled in the form, email a photo or scanned copy of the form and the receipt or invoice as evidence of payment to: XLBullyCompensationScheme@defra.gov.uk.
You must submit your claim by 15 March 2024.
When you’ll receive your compensation
The RPA usually take up to 30 working days to process a valid compensation claim.
For a claim to be valid, you must include the form (with all required fields filled in) and receipt or invoice as evidence of payment. All valid claims will be paid into your bank account. RPA will send you confirmation of payment by post.
Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs
For more information, read Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs.
Get help
For help to register, call the Defra helpline: 03459 335577. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.
Privacy notice
Read how Defra uses your information to process a compensation claim.
Last updated 1 December 2023 + show all updates
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Added updated versions of the compensation forms to clarify that you must register with the Rural Payments Agency before sending the form.
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First published.