XL Bullies are able to run and play free of muzzles and leads at a North Wales dog park.

The UK Government brought in a requirement for an XL Bully to be muzzled and on a lead when in a public place from December 31 last year.

From February 1, 2024, it will be illegal to own an XL Bully in England and Wales, unless your dog has a valid Certificate of Exemption.

Ashlea Rowlands, 31, who runs Paw Park in Rhuddlan, expressed the importance of not excluding the breed from the park.

She said: “If they don’t have places like our park then the poor things will just be on leads and muzzles for the rest of their lives when out in the open.

“I think it's really important that they have these fields that they can run around without a muzzle or a lead, as they should."

She started the park in April in the field previously owned by her grandfather who sadly passed away last year.

Deciding to open the park after seeing one on Anglesey she thought it would be beneficial for the Rhuddlan area.

The park is fully secure with fencing and is on private land.

She said: “It has been popular with people who have dogs where their recall isn’t great, or they are reactive to other dogs.

“They may not even be reactive to just dogs, they could even be reactive to people so they may struggle to walk them. They hire out places like mine that are private and it’s just them. It has worked out well for them.”

She expressed her issues with the introduction of the ban.

“I think it’s awful, they shouldn't just put it down to the breed," she said.

“I think it's down to the owners and how they have been brought up. You can have any dog that can be nasty, it's just how they've been brought up.”

Her current insurance provider does not cover exempt dogs but as long as owners have Owners’ Liability Insurance for the dog, then they can still visit the park.

She said: “I am actually in the process of going with a different insurance company, that will ensure us to have XL Bully’s in the park. That will hopefully be happening in the next few weeks.”

Hippo an XL Bully recently visited the park with his owner.

She said: “He was having a great time running around in the water and I felt really sorry for him when I saw the video, I thought the poor thing.

“I'm glad that he can come to the park where he can be off the lead and muzzle.”

Her dog park is a judgement-free place, she said: “I think a lot of people are really feeling it when they are taking them for walks and people are seeing their dogs with muzzles on. I think people are avoiding them.”

She expressed the importance of sticking to the Government guidelines in place before visiting any dog park like hers.

The dog must be registered with the Index of Exempted Dogs (IED) with a copy of the life certificate sent to her before the session. They must have owners’ liability insurance for the dog.

They must adhere to the dog-handler ratio of 1:1 for exempt dogs, each exempt dog must have their own handler.

The dog must be neutered in line with Government Rules with the deadline of December 31, 2024, for dogs under 1 and June 30, 2024, for dogs over one. The dog must be microchipped. The dog must have a lead and muzzle when entering and leaving the field.

If anyone in the area has an exempt dog and is unsure what to do with it, she urges them to contact her directly or by email. Alternatively, you can go through the Facebook page Paw Park.