FOI Seized Dogs (0216-2022/23)
Request
I am trying to find out if the increase in the number of dogs purchased during the pandemic has led to police forces having to spend more time and resources responding to incidents involving aggressive or dangerous dogs.
Please could I have the details for these four questions by calendar years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and for (part of) 2022.
Please can you tell me:
1. The numbers of dogs seized by your police force (dogs that are out of control, aggressive, have attacked someone or are considered dangerous) from 2017 to 2022?
2. How many dogs have been put down/destroyed in your force area from 2017 to 2022?3. How many suspected banned breeds of dogs have been seized by your force from 2017 to 2022?
4. What is the annual cost to your force of kennels, veterinary treatment, and of putting down/destroying these dogs? (From 2017 to 2022).
Response
Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.
- The number of dogs seized by North Yorkshire Police from 01.01.2017 to 31.05.2022.
2017 – 4
2018 – 2
2019 – 1
2020 – 5
2021 – 4
2022 – 2
- The number of dogs destroyed by North Yorkshire Police from 01.01.2017 to 31.05.2022.
2017 – 2
2018 – 1
2019 – 0
2020 – 0
2021 – 2
2022 – 1
- The number of dogs seized by North Yorkshire Police which are suspected to be banned breeds from 01.01.2017 to 31.05.2022.
2017 – 4
2018 – 2
2019 – 1
2020 – 0
2021 – 2
2022 – 0
In relation to part 4 of your request I am not obliged to provide you with a response pursuant to Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). Please note that when one part of your request falls under Section 12, we are not obliged to review the rest of the questions and the whole request is therefore exempt. However on this occasion, as a gesture of goodwill I have provided the information for parts 1-3 of your request.
Section 12(1) applies to your request as the cost of complying with your request is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of identifying and retrieving any relevant information exceeds the ‘appropriate level’ as stated in the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.
Due to the nature of our recording systems the information requested, if held, is not in an easily retrievable format. In order to retrieve the requested information in relation to costs incurred for seized dogs, it would be necessary to manually review every invoice received and subsequently paid to ensure that the cost was in relation to a dangerous breed or seized animal, which would exceed the time limit allowed under the Act.
Pursuant to Section 17(5) of the Freedom of Information Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice.
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.