Committee publication · Correspondence · 17 March 2026
Correspondence from the Dogs Trust regarding changes to the Companion Club, date 12 March 2026
From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Inquiry: Animal and plant health
Summary
Dogs Trust writes to the EFRA Committee Chair requesting an urgent inquiry into the government's plan to address third-party liability insurance for exempted dogs following Dogs Trust's decision to remove this benefit from its Companion Club scheme on 1 July 2026. The charity states it can no longer absorb the doubled annual costs and that Defra has refused funding, leaving tens of thousands of legal dog owners unable to comply with Dangerous Dogs Act requirements without an alternative solution.
Key findings
- Dogs Trust is removing third-party public liability insurance from Companion Club from 1 July 2026 due to unsustainable costs that have doubled annually since the XL Bully ban.
- This insurance is currently the only legal route for owners of exempted dogs to comply with the Dangerous Dogs Act, creating a compliance crisis.
- Dogs Trust has repeatedly requested government funding or an alternative solution; Defra has refused funding and provided no evidence of an alternative by the letter's date.
- Without a solution by 30 June 2026, tens of thousands of legal dog owners risk non-compliance, seizure, or euthanasia of their pets.
- Dogs Trust opposes breed-specific legislation and requests the Committee investigate the government's plans, timeline, and risk assessments.
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Alistair Carmichael MP, Dogs Trust, Claire Calder, UK Government, Defra, Michael Seals CBE, Animal Sentience Committee
Notable line
“… as a charity we can no longer be left to shoulder the financial burden of this legislation.”
Key Quotes
“At the time of writing, this insurance benefit is the only way for legal owners of exempted dogs to comply with the Dangerous Dogs Act.”
“The cost to provide the insurance has doubled each year and as a charity we can no longer be left to shoulder the financial burden of this legislation.”
“We have contacted the UK Government time and time again, asking them to provide an alternative solution or to financially support us to continue providing this benefit, but sadly we have had no confirmation that an alternative solution has been found …”
“Although Defra has assured us that an alternative solution will be in place by 30 th June 2026, we have seen no evidence of an alternative solution to date.”
“We are concerned that if a solution is not found imminently, then from the 1 st July 2026 tens of thousands of legal owners of exempted dogs will no longer be able to comply with the legislation as it currently stands and could face the heartbreaking situation of their dogs being at risk of seizure or euthanasia through no fault of …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗