FOI 445759

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 3rd December 2025.  Please find below the response to your request:

For the period from 1 February 2024 to December 1 2025, please provide:

1.    The number of dogs seized by your force under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (broken down by Section 1 and Section 3, if possible).

2.    The number of seized dogs currently being held in kennels.

3.    The names of approved kennels in your force area and the total amount paid to each over the same period.

4.    The number of seized dogs that were (a) euthanised, (b) returned to owners, or (c) rehomed / other outcome.

If full data cannot be provided within cost limits, please supply what is readily available.

 

Your request for information has been considered in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”), and I am not obliged to provide the information requested.

S.12(1) of the Act states that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the “appropriate limit”.  For police forces in England and Wales, the "appropriate limit" is £450 or 18 hours of work as set by the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.

Some of the information you have requested is not available in a readily retrievable format such as seized dogs returned to owners or rehomed.  There are over 550 records.  In order to ascertain whether the information you have requested is held would take in excess of 18 hours as each record would have to be checked individually.

In accordance with s.17(5) of the Act, this acts as a Refusal Notice.

However, In accordance with Section 16 of the Act I have a duty to provide advice and assistance in relation to your request and can provide some of the information requested as this was retrieved during our initial research. This should not be taken as a precedent that additional information would be supplied outside of the time/fees legislation for any subsequent requests

 

270 dogs were seized in 2024 and 280 in 2025 up to the 25th November. This includes all seizure reasons including Sec ,1 Sec 3, prisoner property, welfare and strays

61

 

134 dogs were euthanised in 2024, 75 have been euthanised in 2025 up to 25th November. This is for all breeds and reasons including veterinary decisions.