Data on Dangerous dogs from January 2014 to June 2023

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.031354

I note you seek access to the following information:

Please can you refine my request as suggested to remove any question about breeds?

1. How many dogs were seized by your force in the last ten years? If known, and reason for the seizure.
- Please break down the data by calendar year: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date.

2. How many dogs were destroyed by your force in the last ten years? If known, and reason for the destruction.
- Please break down the data by calendar year: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date.

3. How many people died after being attacked by a dog in your area in the last ten years? If known, and the age of the victim.
- Please break down the data by calendar year: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date.

4. How many dog attacks did you record in your area in the past ten years? If known, and the age of the victim.
- Please break down the data by calendar year: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date.

5. In the last ten years, how many people have been arrested for breeding or selling a banned dog breed under the dangerous dogs act?
- Please break down the data by calendar year: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Section 21 – Information reasonably accessible via other means

Reason for decision

Some of the information requested is already in the public domain -

Section 21(1) - The information requested has been identified as being accessible via other means as it is already published. Where information is already in the public domain we are not required to re-publish the data; instead public authorities are required to direct you to the information, which we have done in this instance. This action is in accordance with section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act.

Disclosure

Where information has been provided below, it has been broken down as requested by calendar year: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 to date.

Q3 - How many people died after being attacked by a dog in your area in the last ten years? If known, and the age of the victim.
Q4- How many dog attacks did you record in your area in the past ten years? If known, and the age of the victim.

IMPORTANT: Please ensure the notes page is read in conjunction with the data within the spreadsheet attached above.

Section 21 - Information already in the public domain and accessible via other means:

Please see the below link to the MPS Disclosure Log and a previous response which answers the questions below. The information is only available from 2018 – June 2023.

Q1 - How many dogs were seized by your force in the last ten years? If known, and reason for the seizure.
Q2 - How many dogs were destroyed by your force in the last ten years? If known, and reason for the destruction.
Q5 - In the last ten years, how many people have been arrested for breeding or selling a banned dog breed under the dangerous dogs act?

Data on dogs who are out of control from January 2018 to May 2023