{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/dangerous-dogs-exemption-schemes-england-and-wales-order-2015/article-20",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/dangerous-dogs-exemption-schemes-england-and-wales-order-2015/article-20.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2015/138",
  "legislation_title": "The Dangerous Dogs Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/dangerous-dogs-exemption-schemes-england-and-wales-order-2015",
  "path": "article/20",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "20",
  "heading": "Release of seized dog: general",
  "text": "(1) This Part applies where a dog suspected of being a dog to which section 1 of the Act applies is seized under a power conferred by the Act or under any other enactment and prior to the court’s final determination in respect of the dog under section 4(1)(a) or 4B(1) of the Act.\n(2) Subject to paragraph (2A), the chief officer of police for the area in which the dog was seized may release the dog to the person intending to apply for exemption of the dog under Part 2 of this Order (in this Part referred to as “the person in interim charge”) only in accordance with this Part.\n(2A) Where the seized dog is a dog of the type known as the XL Bully that is owned by a rehoming organisation and in respect of which a certificate of exemption had been issued to the rehoming organisation under Part 2 of the Dangerous Dogs (Exemption Schemes and Miscellaneous Provisions) (England and Wales) Order 2023, the dog may only be released to that rehoming organisation.\n(3) Nothing in this Part requires a chief officer of police to release a dog to which this Part applies.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in art. 20(2) substituted (31.12.2023) by The Dangerous Dogs (Exemption Schemes and Miscellaneous Provisions) (England and Wales) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/1407), arts. 1(2)(b), 11(8)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Art. 20(2A) inserted (31.12.2023) by The Dangerous Dogs (Exemption Schemes and Miscellaneous Provisions) (England and Wales) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/1407), arts. 1(2)(b), 11(8)(b)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/138/article/20",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T23:48:54.982473+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}