FOI 161-2025 / Feb 2025 / Seized dogs
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 161-2025
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 4th January 2025 as follows:
- Since 31st December 2023, how many incidents have you attended, that has involved dogs of a banned breed type?
- Since 31st December 2023, how many dogs have you seized for being a suspected banned breed type?.
- How many banned breed types, have died whilst being held in police approved kennels, since December 31st 2023?
- How many banned breed types, have been destroyed at the scene of an incident by your firearms officers since December 31st 2023?
- The cost of policing dangerous dog incidents, has said to have risen since 31st December 2023. The interim exemption scheme is available to all forces, would this be something you would consider implementing to reduce those associated costs?
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Response: Please be advised that there is no identifier within the Command and Control System to isolate incidents attended where a banded breed is involved. There is potential for this to happen in relation to any type of incident and, in order to attempt to determine the number of times such a report has been recorded, it would be necessary to review each and every incident log, recorded during the stated period, on an individual basis. This would equate to tens of thousands of logs which would take an inordinate amount of time to review and greatly exceed the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
In accordance with s12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for this request.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act, I have a duty to provide advice and assistance in relation to your request; however, due to the volume of records that would need to be examined, I am unable to suggest a way to revise this element of your request into one that could be managed within the fees limit.
However, it may be possible to provide information in relation to Q2, Q3 and Q4 should you wish to submit a revised request.
Please note that, with regard to Q5, I must advise that this question is not valid under the Freedom of information Act 2000 (“the Act”) as it is not a request for specific recorded information held. Please be advised that the Act only extends to requests for recorded information and does not require public authorities to answer questions if this would mean creating new information, or giving an opinion or judgement that is not already recorded.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB