FOI 765-2025 / Jul 2025 / Seized dogs
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 765-2025
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 25th July 2025 as follows:
Q1. The number of dogs seized by your police force from November 2023 to the most recent available date.
Q2. The number of dogs put down/euthanised/put to sleep by your police force over the same period under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Response: Please be advised that the requested information is not centrally recorded and is therefore not held in a readily retrievable format. The circumstances under which Warwickshire Police seize a dog can vary from case to case. For example, stray/lost dog found, prisoner property, dog dangerously out of control, evidence in a crime, possible banned breed, owner hospitalised/died, animal welfare/neglect concern. In order to determine whether a dog was seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act and if so, whether it was later put to sleep, it would be necessary to manually review the wider records and documentation for each seizure on an individual basis. The business area has advised that for the period 1st November 2023 to 30th June 2025 there were 231 dogs seized and that it would take approximately 20 to 30 minutes to individually review the circumstances and outcome of each one. Taking the lower estimate this would equate to 77 hours of work. Therefore, the work involved in locating and retrieving the requested information exceeds the cost threshold of £450, which equates to 18 hours work at a standard rate of £25 per hour, as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
In accordance with Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for the request.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act, I have a duty to provide advice and assistance; however, I am unable to suggest a way to reduce the request into one that could be managed within the fees limit.
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