FAQ - Owning a Prohibited Breed
Insurance and Child Safety for Prohibited Breeds
On Insurance:
- From 1st July 2026 it will no longer be a requirement for prohibited dogs to have third party public liability insurance.
- Owners must continue to have valid insurance up to and including 30th June 2026.
- Dogs Trust will stop issuing new insurance policies and renewing existing insurance policies for prohibited dogs after 30th June 2026.
- This does not mean that all insurance ends on that date:
- If your policy is renewed on or before 30th June 2026, it will run for its usual 12‑month term from the renewal date
- Dog owners must continue to comply with all other conditions of their Certificate of Exemption.
Child Safety Provision:
- DAERA will be introducing a new condition aimed at protecting children from prohibited dogs in the home
- From 1st November 2026, you must not leave a child under 12 in close contact with a prohibited breed of dog in a private place, such as a home or garden, without adult supervision. This will be a condition of your Certificate of Exemption.
- DAERA will provide further guidance before the condition comes into effect.
Q&A
On Insurance
| 1. | If I don’t have insurance for my dog now, will my Certificate of Exemption be invalid? |
| Yes. Insurance is a legal requirement for a Certificate of Exemption to remain valid. You must continue to have valid insurance up to and including 30th June 2026. If you do not currently have insurance in place please contact your local council dog warden service, who can advise on next steps. | |
| 2. | I have insurance for my dog, will my Certificate of Exemption be invalid after 30 June 2026? |
| No. If you already have a Dogs Trust policy, it will continue until its expiry date. Policies renewed on or before 30th June 2026 will last the full 12 months. Dogs Trust will stop issuing and renewing policies from 30th June 2026 onwards. Existing Dogs Trust policies will continue until their normal expiry. Owners do not need to take any action. From 1st July 2026 it will no longer be a requirement for prohibited dogs to have third-party public liability insurance. You must continue to have valid insurance up to and including 30th June 2026. | |
| 3. | Will my dog be seized by a dog warden if I don’t have insurance? |
| Insurance is currently required for your Certificate of Exemption to remain valid. Local councils are responsible for dog control enforcement and make their own operational decisions and act proportionately based on risk. If you do not currently have insurance and are concerned your Certificate may not be valid, you should contact your local council dog control service, who can advise on next steps. From 1st July 2026 it will no longer be a legal requirement for prohibited dogs to have third party public liability insurance. You must continue to have valid insurance up to and including 30th June 2026. | |
| 4. | Do I still need insurance before 30 June 2026? |
Yes. If you have a Certificate of Exemption, you must continue to have third-party public liability insurance. The policy must:
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| 5. | Do I need insurance after 30th June 2026? |
| No. From 1st July 2026 it will no longer be a legal requirement for prohibited dogs to have third party public liability insurance. | |
| 6. | My insurance expires before 30th June 2026. Should I renew it? |
| Yes. You must have valid insurance until at least 30th June 2026 for your Certificate of Exemption to be valid. If your renewal date falls before 30th June 2026, the insurance policy must be renewed for your certificate to be valid. Once you renew, your Dogs Trust policy will run for its full 12-month term. | |
| 7. | I currently have Dogs Trust insurance. Should I cancel it? |
| No. You must maintain valid insurance up to and including 30th June 2026. Policies will remain in place until their natural expiry, which may be beyond 30th June 2026. | |
| 8. | Can I renew my insurance after 30th June 2026? |
No, Dogs Trust will not renew insurance after 30th June 2026. From 1st July 2026 it will no longer be a requirement for prohibited dogs to have third-party public liability insurance. You must continue to have valid insurance up to and including 30th June 2026. | |
| 9. | Why is there no other insurance provider? |
| Dogs Trust will no longer provide new insurance policies or be renewing existing policies after 30th June 2026. No other insurers currently offer third-party public liability insurance for prohibited dogs. This is a commercial decision for insurance providers, who determine which products they make available. | |
| 10. | Does removing the insurance requirement put the public at risk? |
| No. There are strong public safety measures in place for owners of prohibited dogs. These include:
These conditions will remain in place. Removing this requirement does not alter the legal obligation that owners of prohibited dogs must continue to follow. All remaining conditions of the Certificate of Exemption, including for exempted dogs to be muzzled and kept on a lead at all times in public places, will continue to apply. Owners remain fully responsible for any harm caused by their dogs to humans or other animals. All prohibited dogs must be exempted. |
On Child Safety Provision
1. | What is this new condition about / why are you introducing this condition? | |
The condition is intended to reduce the risk of serious injury to young children in domestic settings, while allowing exempted dogs to continue living with families where appropriate supervision or separation is in place. | ||
2. | How will this new condition be enforced if it is applicable only within a dog owners' home? | |
The condition requires that a prohibited dog must not be allowed to come into close contact with a child under the age of 12 in a domestic setting or other non‑public place unless the dog or child is supervised by an adult. A domestic setting includes the home and a non‑public outdoor space, such as a person’s garden.
Local councils are responsible for dog control enforcement and have the relevant powers to take action where this condition is not complied with.
Where non‑compliance is identified, a dog warden may take enforcement action under existing powers, which could include seizing a dog and pursuing prosecution where appropriate. | ||
3. | Why are you only applying this to prohibited dog breeds and not all dogs? | |
We appreciate that any dog can cause harm to a child, and we would advise that owners of any dog breed should ensure that young children are supervised around dogs. Children should be supervised around any breed of dog. | ||
4. | What do you mean by adult? | |
An adult is any person who is 18 or over. This could be the dog’s owner or keeper or another person who is at least 18 years old. | ||
5. | When will the child safety provision be in place? | |
The provision will come into force on 1st November 2026.
Guidance will be provided ahead of this date to help you understand what is required and how to apply it in practice. This will be shared in advance, so you have time to prepare and make any necessary arrangements. | ||
6. | How do I comply with this measure? | |
The condition requires that a prohibited dog must not be allowed to come into close contact with a child under the age of 12 in a domestic setting or other non‑public place, unless the dog or child is supervised by an adult. A domestic setting includes the home and a non‑public outdoor space, such as a person’s garden.
To comply, you must ensure that an adult (someone aged 18 or over) supervises any situation where a child under 12 is in close proximity to your dog. This could be you or another responsible adult. It is the responsibility of the certificate holder to make sure appropriate supervision or separation is in place.
Further guidance will be provided ahead of the condition coming into force to help you understand what the new requirement means and how to apply it in practice. | ||
7. | This condition is unfair. You are making me choose between my child and my dog. | |
The condition does not prevent owners from keeping their dog around young children. It sets a clear expectation that appropriate supervision or separation is in place to reduce the risk of harm.
Owners can continue to keep their dogs in family environments, provided they take reasonable steps to ensure that young children are supervised when in close proximity to their dog. | ||
8. | What about children aged 12 and above? Are they not at risk of harm? | |
There is a risk of harm to children of all ages from any breed of dog. However, evidence shows that younger children are more vulnerable to serious dog bite injuries, particularly in domestic settings.
This measure focuses on children under the age of 12 as they are at higher risk and less able to recognise or respond to potential danger. However, it is important that all children are supervised around dogs, regardless of the age of the child or the breed of dog, as any dog can pose a risk in certain situations. | ||
9. | When will you provide more information/guidance on this measure? | |
The condition will come into force on 1st November 2026, and further guidance will be published on NI Direct ahead of this date to help you understand what the new requirement means and how to apply it in practice. | ||
10. | Will dog wardens be able to enter by home? | |
| In most cases, dog wardens do not routinely enter private homes. They will generally only do so where there are reasonable grounds to suspect an offence has been committed and they have obtained a warrant to do so. Local Councils are responsible for dog control enforcement and have the relevant powers to take action where necessary. If non‑compliance with the condition is identified, they may take enforcement action in line with those powers, which could include seizing a dog and pursuing prosecution where appropriate. |
Contact Us
If you would like further information, please contact us at Ballymoney Office, Riada House, 14 Charles Street, Ballymoney, BT53 6DZ.