The number of out of control dogs causing injuries, seized and destroyed from 2019 to 2024

9 May 2025

Our Ref: FOI2025/03053                                              

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 Ref No: FOI2025/03053     

I write in connection with your request for information received on 8 April 2025.  I note you seek access to the following information:

Request

I would like to request the following under the FOI Act for the years between and including 2019 and 2024.

1 The number of out-of-control dog causing injury to a person or guide dog offences

2 The number of these offences involving XL Bullies

3 The number of dogs seized

4 The number of these seizures involving XL Bullies

5 The number of dogs destroyed

6 The number of these destructions involving XL Bullies

Response

I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.

Following enquiries within the Hertfordshire Constabulary please see our response below.

1.

There are no mandatory fields in our offence recording system for this, therefore a manual search of the MO text using "XL Bully" was used to return the above data. Of note: victims would not necessarily know the breed of a dog unknown to them and are mentioning it could/may have been an XL Bully type

3. Seizures 2019-20 -29

    Seizures 2020-21 -49

    Seizures 2021-22 -58

    Seizures 2022-23 -47

    Seizures 2023-24 -63

    Seizures 2024-25 -64

4. Seizures 2024-25 involving XL Bullies for S3 offences. RELIABLE data for previous years not available: 14

5. NOTE Number of dogs destroyed shows all destruction NOT just those related to S3 offences

Destroyed 2019-20 -18

Destroyed 2020-21 -18

Destroyed 2021-22 -26

Destroyed 2022-23- 28

Destroyed 2023-24 -35

Destroyed 2024-25 -35

6. RELIABLE data not available.

The numerical data presented in this response is an un-audited snapshot of un-published data sourced from "live" systems and is subject to the interpretation of the original request by the individual extracting the data.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter please do not hesitate to contact me quoting the above reference number.

Yours sincerely
Information Rights

Hertfordshire Constabulary provides you the right to request an independent review of this response under its review procedure. If you require such a review, you must notify us within two months from the date of this letter. After lodging a complaint with Hertfordshire Constabulary if you are still dissatisfied with the decision, you may make an application to the Information Commissioner. For information on how to make a complaint please visit their website or contact them on 0303 123 1113.